


Fantastic Five

by QuilSniv, ThatTree



Series: The Friendly Neighborhood Universe [4]
Category: Fantastic Four (Comicverse), Guardians of the Galaxy (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Cosmic Road Trip, F/M, Genis-Vell's back!, MJ is best wife, Screenplay/Script Format, So are the Parker kids and MJ, The Imperial Guard are here, The Richards Kids are here and want to come along, They don't mean anything to the overall plot though, Three-Way race for best daughter, Time to explore and stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2019-12-27 03:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18295514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuilSniv/pseuds/QuilSniv, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatTree/pseuds/ThatTree
Summary: Once there were four, gifted powers by cosmic rays and exploring the universe. Another eventually joined, but something completely unrelated happened to him, and so he started helping them too. But it was only three months or so ago, so relatively new compared to everybody else.But that doesn't matter, given that the universe has a risk of being destroyed. Potentially even the multiverse. So the Fantastic Five have to do what they do best: explore the universe while saving it from exploding.





	1. Question the Impossible

Fantastic Five #1 (of 5)  
“Question the Impossible”

Writer: Neil Bogenrieder  
Assistant Writer: Nerd Wonder  
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar

Preferred Art Team: Kenneth Rocafort and Christian Ward

[Page 1]

[Panel 1: Large establishing panel. Spider-Man is swinging over the New York cityscape, decked out in his new Fantastic Five costume. While on the phone with his Bluetooth, he’s expertly swinging through the concrete jungle.]

Spider-Man: No, I just wanted to make sure everything would be okay before I left Earth for the day.

No, just for the day. I promise. It’s a routine examination of the Gamma-based sun in—

I know, but c’mon! I get to— sorry, MJ. 

Yeah, I already let Cindy know. She and Mayday can cover my patrol routes while I’m gone.

The Avengers?

[Panel 2: the Baxter Building appears in front of Spider-Man, who swings towards it, tapping the side of his head to turn off his bluetooth.]

Spider-Man: I think they can last a day without me.

Maybe.

Hey, I’m about to get to the Baxter Building. I’ll call you when I get back.

Love you too, Red. Bye.

[Panel 3: Spider-Man swings over the roof of the Baxter Building, a large energy dome covering what appears to be the hangar.]

Spider-Man: Hey, HERBIE. It’s me, Spider-Man. Open up.

HERBIE: Error. Please submit access credentials.

Spider-Man: Peter Parker, authorization Delta-Null-Alpha-One-One-Three.

Spider-Man [Capt]: That’s weird. The costume has an access chip built-in. It should’ve let me in as soon as I came up top.

[Page 2]

[Panel 1: Peter lands on the roof, talking to HERBIE and quickly losing patience.]

HERBIE: Access denied. Please refer to Dr. Richards for further inquiries.

Spider-Man: Not funny, HERBIE. I’m gonna be late for the launch.

Now let me in.

HERBIE: I’m sorry, Spider-Man. I’m afraid I can’t do that.

[Panel 2: A series of stun laser turrets pop out of the Baxter Building’s surface, as a terrified Spider-Man holds up his hands to defend himself.]

HERBIE: Initiating security-defense protocols.

You have five seconds to surrender.

Spider-Man: Whoa!

HERBIE, stop! It’s me, Peter!

HERBIE: Four.

Spider-Man: C’mon, man, throw me a bone here!

HERBIE: Three--

[Panel 3: The turrets all stand down, deactivating as a confused Spider-Man looks around.]

HERBIE: Twwoooooo--

Spider-Man: Whew. 

What the hell was that all about?--

[Panel 4: Close up of Spider-Man’s face, as he looks up, narrowing his lenses in disappointment/anger.]

??? [OP]: BWAAA-HAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, man! You should’ve seen the look on your face!

I almost wanted to let Herb keep going and see what happened!

Peter: Har, har, har.

You done with your kneeslapper, or do I need to buy heart medication?

[Panel 5: Large panel. Spider-Man descends into the Baxter Building’s hangar, to meet with the rest of the Fantastic Five. (Still narrowing his lenses in anger.) While Ben and Sue are busy prepping the newest Fantasticar model for takeoff, Johnny is guffawing in a desk chair; Reed, on the other hand, is at a computer console, with HERBIE’s mainframe behind said console.]

Reed: Apologies for the entrance, son.

Susan: Somebody thought it would be funny to revoke your access codes.

Johnny: Oh, come on! You gotta admit, that was pretty friggin’ funny!

Peter: Hilarious.

Oi, Ben. Is it like this every day, or?--

Ben: Oh, God, yes.

But ya get used to it.

[Page 3]

[Panel 1: Peter flips off his webline, as Johnny gets out of his desk chair, still wiping away tears from his fit of laughter.]

Peter: Hrmmm.

Alright, you’ve had your fun.

Johnny: Oh, just you wait until we get into space!

We’re going to have so much fun!

[Panel 2: Peter leans towards Johnny, questioning him as Johnny leans back in his chair, eyes wide in fear.]

Peter: So, were you planning on making my console explode?

Cutting my line while I’m in space?

Locking me in the airlock?

Johnny: Uh…

Peter: You know your turrets use plasma for their stun blasts, right?

Those leave a helluva mark. Plasma burns don’t heal easily.

[Panel 3: Close forward shot of Peter, whose white lenses create a terrifying image.]

Peter: So, then… do you want to explain to my wife and kids why I come home full of plasma burns?

Do you really want to have to deal with MJ when she’s mad?

[Panel 4: Peter grabs the armrests of Johnny’s chair, pushing the chair back all the way as Johnny’s face turns to one of pure terror.]

Peter: Do you?

Johnny: ...No.

[Panel 5: Peter pats Johnny on the head, as he releases the chair and begins walking away.]

Peter: That’s what I thought.

Here’s to a safe journey, hmmm?

[Panel 6: Susan and Ben look away, trying to stifle laughter as Johnny sits, terrified of the idea of Mary Jane lashing out at him.]

[Page 4]

[Panel 1: Valeria and Franklin Richards come into the hangar, as Spidey begins loading a crate of supplies onto the Fantasticar and waving to them.]

Valeria: Dad! You’re leaving without us?

Franklin: But this is space! C’mon, dad, you’ve gotta let us go!

[Panel 2: Reed stretches over to the two kids, pointing at them with his stretched finger.]

Reed: Val, Franklin, this is just a routine examination of the Banner Nova.

If this was something new, we’d invite you and the rest of the Foundation along.

Val: But what if something big has happened?

Reed: The satellite feeds have shown no major change. We’re simply going out to verify that the feeds haven’t changed.

It’ll be a day, at most. And you, young lady, need to catch up on your sleep.

[Panel 3: Peter, coming back down the ramp, raises a lens in confusion as Valeria walks over to him. Ben and Sue are on top of the Fantasticar, making some final repairs.]

Peter: Hang on, Reed.

You’re saying that you’ll leave your kids behind when checking out a sun--

\--but when you’re exploring the unknown frontier, you’re more than okay with them coming along?

Valeria: That implies that there is a frontier.

[Panel 4: As Valeria walks past Peter, casually typing into her tablet, Peter looks down at her; his confusion has continued to be a major presence in his headspace.]

Peter: Wait. So, you’re saying that you’ve explored the entire universe?

Valeria: Well, my father has gone out there. But because of new mapping technique and advancements in slipspace tech, I effectively have.

Peter: You’ve been to Alpha Centauri, then?

[Panel 5: Valeria continues typing, disinterested in the conversation as Peter grabs a piece of the Fantasticar to hand to Susan.]

Valeria: Honestly, easier to get to than Disneyland.

Sue: Peter, can you pass me the last fusion coil?

Peter: Here.

What about Cybertron? Its moons?

Valeria: For being a “miracle moon”, the only thing miraculous about Luna 1 is finding a patch of land without a Nova Corpsman.

And Cybertron is a husk of dead land that the Autobots call home. If you ask me, it’s overrated.

[Panel 6: Same panel, only Peter has shifted positions now that he’s not handing Sue any parts. Val, on the other hand, is still disinterested. Meanwhile, the rest of the F5 have begun boarding the Fantasticar.]

Peter: Uh… have you met God?

Valeria: I think my parents and uncles have. 

Peter:... 

...You being really casual about this whole “I’ve explored the universe” thing is freaking me out, I’m not gonna lie.

[Page 5]

[Panel 1: As Peter boards the Fantasticar, he points over towards Val and Franklin, who are keeping their distance from the launch pad.]

Peter: Seriously? Let me introduce you to my daughter.

...The younger one. She could seriously use a playmate.

[Panel 2: Taking off, the Fantasticar sweeps upward as Franklin and Val watch.]

Val: Pfft. A playmate.

We already have the foundation.

Franklin: You just like the Foundation because you can show off to them and they won’t get mad.

Val: Feh.

[Panel 3: The Fantasticar flies up above New York, causing a sonic boom as its back thrusters fire.]

Spider-Man: Nice sonic boom, Ben.

Thing: I figured you’d appreciate it.

[Panel 4: Breaking orbit, the Fantasticar’s blue circuits begin glowing intensely as it’s warp drive powers up.]

Reed: Commencing jump.

Sue: Peter, hold onto something.

Peter: Wait, wh--

[Panel 5: The Fantasticar jumps to warp, a small collection of ion particles left in its wake.]

[Page 6]

[Panel 1: Large, establishing panel of the Fantasticar. It’s parked in orbit around a large, green sun, with a couyple of planets hovering in orbit as well, but much farther away.]

Capt: The Gamma Orionis System

Reed [Interior of ship]: Passive scans are complete. No anomalies.

[Panel 2: The cockpit of the Fantasticar. Reed, Sue and Peter are leaning over the scanner console, with Ben at the steering wheel.]

Peter: It’s a green star. This shouldn’t even be possible.

Sue: Something you learn about being on this team, Peter?

You have to question the impossible.

Reed: Beginning the active scan.

Ben: Think we’ll see any action on this?

[Panel 3: Reed twists over toward Ben, punching coordinates into the navicomputer.]

Reed: Hopefully not. This Fantasticar isn’t rated for combat.

Johnny: Boo. Boooo!

Reed: Johnny, we’re not here to pick fights. This is purely for research.

Johnny: Boo!

Ben: Hrmmm…

[Panel 4: Peter has shifted to hang upside down, with Sue typing into the console.]

Peter: So, with a green star…

What exactly do we need to look out for?

Sue: That’s the hard part. This star is… well, it’s one-of-a-kind.

Figuring out what exactly constitutes as something wrong--

[Panel 5: Sue looks up towards an off-panel Spider-Man, smiling warmly.]

Sue: --that’s the fun part of exploring space.

[Panel 6: Spider-Man looks at the console, narrowing his lenses as he still hangs upside down.]

Spider-Man: Part of science, Sue. I got it.

…

Wait, what’s that?

Sue: What do you see?

Spider-Man: A few centimeters to the right of the center.

Sue: I can’t see it.

Spider-Man: It’s really tiny.

[Page 7]

[Panel 1: Spider-Man points over to the place he saw the anomaly; it’s too small for Sue to see, and therefore the reader.]

Spider-Man: There. A few metres away from… section Alpha-5.

[Panel 2: Large panel, of the Fantasticar maneuvering over towards a large, cylindrical object floating in the vacuum.]

Ben: Da heck is that?

Reed: Only one way to find out.

Prep the airlock. We’re bringing it onboard.

[Panel 3: Reed and Johnny on one side, Peter, Sue and Ben on the other side, examining the object floating outside.]

Peter: Wait, what if it’s a bomb?

Do we really want to bring a bomb onboard?

Sue: I’m with Peter on this one. I don’t want our ride blowing up all the way out here.

Reed: Johnny, scan the device for any known explosive compounds on the device.

[Panel 4: Johnny pulls a scanning device over his seat, with the highlighted device in red appearing in the HUD.]

Johnny: Scanning... it’s clean.

Reed: Bring it in. We’ll examine it in the lab.

[Panel 5: The device is grabbed by a tractor beam, vanishing into the Fantasticar’s open loading bay. Silent panel.]

[Page 8]

[Panel 1: Ben and Reed in the Fantasticar’s lab, with Peter, Sue and Johnny watching from behind a glass barrier.]

Reed: Removing the outer casing.

Ben: I gotcha, stretcho…

Reed: ...No change. Proceeding to extract internal device.

[Panel 2: Behind the wall, Peter, Sue and Johnny are talking. Contrary to Johnny’s previous bored attitude, he’s grown very serious; a radical change that goes a long way to show how much he’s grown in four years.]

Peter: You guys seriously have no idea what this is?

Johnny: If you hadn’t been here, we wouldn’t have even detected it on our scanners.

Peter: So you shouldn’t have left me behind.

Johnny: Heh.

Sue: Boys…

[Panel 3: Reed peers into the interior of the device and pulls out a strange device; it looks vaguely like something you’d find in the Children of Tomorrow’s designs.]

Reed: This is…

I have no idea what this is.

Ben: Even for you, Reed, that’s a scary word to use.

Any other words you could use instead?

[Panel 4: Examining the device, Reed strokes his chin, completely baffled by the design.]

Reed: I’m afraid not, Ben.

This… this is extremely sophisticated.

I’d have say… about 900 years ahead of anything we have.

[Panel 5: Peter taps on the glass, with Reed turning around to acknowledge him, as Sue covers her mouth with her hands.]

Peter: Beyond anything Stark’s ever made.

Reed: Beyond anything I’ve ever made.

Sue: Oh, God.

Ben: First right thing you’ve said today.

[Page 9]

[Panel 1: Reed puts the device within a scanner, studying it, as the other three come out from behind the blast wall.]

Reed: The device has an extremely powerful electromagnetic core.

It was designed to short out and release a massive pulse.

Peter: That would’ve created a solar flare. A huge one.

Sue: Big enough to destroy any inhabited planets?

Reed: Bigger.

[Panel 2: Johnny slaps his hand against his face, groaning in relief.]

Johnny: So we just saved, count ‘em, fifteen different civilizations and they won’t even realize it.

Break out the champagne.

[Panel 3: Peter examines the device, as Reed and Sue talk amongst themselves.]

Peter: How long do you think it had before it went off?

Reed: A few minutes, judging by the decay of the circuit.

Sue: We were really lucky. We barely managed to stop it.

Reed: Hmmm… it’s a bit much of a coincidence, if you ask me.

[Panel 4: Johnny talks to Reed, hyperbolizing himself as Reed calmly explains himself.]

Johnny: Coincidence? We just barely stopped it!

Reed: And we’re the only warp-capable beings in this entire system. Maybe even the sector.

There’s no strategic value in the Banner Nova or its neighbors, which raises the question of why a device like this--

\--clearly designed or refitted to be a weapon--

\--was set to detonate in this quiet pocket of nowhere on the frontier.

[Panel 5: Portrait shot of Reed, who looks over to the off-panel F5.]

Reed: Somebody knew we’d be coming here--

\--and knew that we’d find this device.

[Panel 6: The other members of the F5, who each have a serious look of disturbed concern. (Spider-Man’s lenses even make a shape of concern.) Silent panel.]

[Page 10]

[Panel 1: The Fantastic Five’s alarms blare, as all five members look up to see red floodlights and loud klaxons blaring.]

Ben: Dat can’t be good.

Reed: HERBIE! Status report!

[Panel 2: As the Fantastic Five rush onto the bridge, HERBIE’s AI matrix pops up several images and real-time footage of a man in Kree Navy garb attacking a Shi’ar settlement.]

HERBIE: At once, Dr. Richards.

Shi’ar planetary outpost Rao’s Reach has sent out a general distress call for any armed assistance from invaders.

Sue: Any word from the Shi’ar government?

HERBIE: The Shi’ar Empire has declared this an act of war, and the Imperial Guard has been deployed to enforce order.

Initial footage indicates that the attacker is a Kree Naval Officer by the alias of Genis-Vell.

[Panel 3: As Peter gets in his seat, one of his lenses raised in confusion, Reed begins revving up the warp drive while Ben moves the Fantasticar away from the Banner Nova.]

Peter: Wait, Genis-Vell? As in, Photon Genis-Vell?

I thought his body was stuck in the Darkforce.*

(*Seen in Thunderbolts #100!-Agreeable Neil)

Ben: How the hell’d he come back? 

Reed: Unclear. We’ll try and figure it out on the move.

[Panel 4: The Fantasticar moves away from the sun, sublight thrusters firing as it escapes the gravity pull.]

Sue: Moving away.

Ben: Punching it.

[Panel 5: The Fantasticar goes to warp, leaving a trail of solar energy behind. Silent panel.]

[Page 11]

[Panel 1: Establishing shot. Rao’s Reach, the newest civilian outpost on the Shi’ar Frontier. A Shi’ar woman crawls up from the wreckage of a building, hands bleeding as she manages to get out. Silent panel.]

[Panel 2: The woman looks up weakly, begging quietly as a laser blast off-panel strikes down some random civilian.]

Civilian: Aaiieee!

Woman: Please… have mercy...

[Panel 3: Large, dynamic panel. Genis-Vell (Photon, dressed back in his green and silver Kree Navy uniform) is seen firing off his laser pistol into the defenseless crowd, autistically screeching his delusions of grandeur and clearly not in control of himself.]

Genis-Vell: I am Genis-Vell of the Kree Navy!

I claim this planet and its inhabitants as property of the Kree Empire! You will submit and bow before the Supreme Intelligence!

[Panel 4: Looking down at the woman who just escaped the collapse of her home, Genis’ eyes widen in anger and pure hatred.]

Genis: There is no mercy for those who ignore the path of Hala!

[Panel 5: Genis points his gun downward, charging it up to a disintegrating-tier level, the build-up and Kirby Krackle letting us know he’s dead serious, as the woman closes her eyes and looks away while begging for her life.]

Genis: May she have mercy on your soul and give you a quick and painless death.

[Panel 6: Genis pauses, lowering his gun in confusion at the cue of an off-panel wisecrack.]

???: Let’s not and say we did.

[Panel 7: A impact webbing ball explodes in Genis’ face, covering his face. Silent panel.]

???: Oops. You’ve got something on your face there.

[Page 12]

[Panel 1: The Fantastic Five leap from the loading ramp of the Fantasticar in their own unique methods: Sue floating on one of her barrier disks, Ben just jumping like a champ, Johnny flying down (With Spider-Man being dragged along via web-line, and Reed stretches himself from the ramp. (His feet still on the car.)]

Spider-Man: So, do we have a slogan for going into combat?

Y’know, “Avengers Assemble?” “To me, my X-Men?”

Sue: Kind of. It’s “Johnny, wait.”

Johnny: She’s not wrong. And I’m not sure if it’s a compliment or an insult.

Ben: I’d go with insult. It’s funnier that way.

Reed: Everybody, focus.

Genis-Vell, you’re surrounded. You have nowhere to run.

[Panel 2: The five land on the ground (Well, except Spidey, he’s perched on Ben’s shoulder.) surrounding Genis to make sure they’re sending a message of dominance in the situation.]

Reed: Do you really want to do this, Genis?

We’re your friends; we can take you back with us to Earth, and--

[Panel 3: Portrait, bust shot of Genis; his eyes are burning, holding his pistol up in an offensive stance.]

Genis-Vell: I do.

Now die.

[Panel 4: Genis fires his pistol at Reed, who stretches out of the way to avoid it, as Ben moves in to attack him.]

Reed: *sigh*

Team, take him.

Ben: Finally! It’s clobberin’ time!

[Panel 5: Ben tries to pull off a Kirk-Fu-style smackdown, only for Genis’ shield to activate and project a green aura around the impacts.]

Ben: Hey! Wha’ gives?!

Genis: Please. You’re using fists made of rock against a uni-shield.

Not even a ferro-electric tungsten slug could pierce it.

Thing: You keep talking, but all I hear is “blah, blah, blah!”

Drop the science and fight like a man!

[Panel 6: Another blast from the pistol, as Genis continues to shield himself from Thing’s continued barrage of fists. This time, the shot is aimed at Invisible Woman, who has put up a barrier to deflect the shot out of the area.]

Genis: If you won’t kneel--

\--perhaps your woman will!

Sue: That’s a helluva sense of charm you’ve got there. Did it work for prom night?

[Page 13]

[Panel 1: Peter slides underneath Genis, who has both hands occupied firing his gun and holding his shield up. Johnny, meanwhile, is keeping Genis busy with a blast of fire and supporting Ben in barraging him.]

Peter: So, sure, you’ve got a uni-shield.

But I’ve got webs. And, to be, honest, I think those are a bit cooler.

Human Torch: You going somewhere with this?

Thing: Yowch! 

Hey, Matchstick, you’re hurtin’ me more than you’re hurtin’ him!

[Panel 2: The webs are yanked by Spider-Man, as Genis gets his feet pulled out from underneath him with a yelp of surprise.]

Spider-Man: One sec.

Genis-Vell: Nyagh!

Spider-Man: Reed, he’s all yours!

[Panel 3: Using his morphing powers, Reed towers over all the Fantastic Five and Genis, his hands growing into cartoonishly-sized fists. (Ms. Marvel operates on the same principle, and I’m assuming that Reed works in that function as well given their similar power sets.)]

Reed: This stops--

[Panel 4: Reed’s fist slams into Genis, creating a massive crater and crushing Genis as the other four step back just in time.]

Reed: --NOW!

Genis: Graaagh!

[Panel 5: With Mr. Fantastic shrinking back down to normal size, the Fantasticar lands in the background as the F5 surround Genis.]

Sue: Is that it? We went up against a Kree reality warper and won just like that?

Johnny: The one time we get an easy win--

\--and you want to complain that it was too easy?

Reed: Susan’s right, Johnny. Genis-Vell is far more powerful than this fight let on.

If anything, I’d say that he was designed to fail.

[Panel 6: The F5 look up on cue, to see an unseen force descend from above. (With Spider-Man clearly squinting among the group.]

???: Attention, all belligerents! You are to stand down immediately!

Spider-Man: Oh, boy. We handle all the heavy lifting and then the authorities show up.

[Page 14]

[Panel 1: Gladiator and the Imperial Guard (Smasher (Izzy Kane from Hickmanvengers), Cerise, and Neosaurus) descend from the sky down towards the group, a number of Shi’ar bowing to the Guard in the background.]

Spider-Man: It’s just like New York.

Gladiator: Richards. I don’t know why you’re here--

Reed: We came simply to help.

[Panel 2: Gladiator looks down demeaningly on Reed, who stares right back up defiantly.]

Gladiator: By making an incursion into Shi’ar space?

Reed: As the nearest possible source of help, Kallark.

Something’s wrong with Photon. If we hadn’t arrived before the Imperial Guard, he could have dealt an untold amount of damage.

[Panel 3: Portrait shot of Gladiator, whose face indicates he’s not in the mood for nonsense of any kind.]

Gladiator: ...You’re lucky we’re still recovering from the Annihilation Wave, Richards.

If we weren’t in this sorry state, I would bring the full force of the Imperial Guard down on you--

[Panel 4: Gladiator and Reed continue looking at each other.]

Gladiator: --For making this trespass on our soil.

Reed: Of course. But I think you have more important matters on your plate--

\--besides five humans standing peacefully on your outpost.

[Panel 5: Stepping past the F5, Gladiator moves to investigate the unconscious Genis-Vell.]

Gladiator: Very true. You, out of my way.

Thing: “Please” and ‘Tha--

Sue: Ben. I’d rather not be on his bad side.

Thing: ...Fine, Suzie.

[Panel 6: Genis regains consciousness, his eyes still indicating grogginess and confusion from behind his helmet.]

Genis-Vell: What… wha’ ‘appened?

[Page 15]

[Panel 1: Gladiator leans down, leering at Genis-Vell as he looks up; the Imperial Guard is standing in the background, while the Fantastic Five are a bit closer, ready to step in should need be.]

Gladiator: Genis-Vell of the Kree Imperium--

You are being charged with war crimes for incursions into Shi’ar space.

How do you plead?

[Panel 2: Genis-Vell looks up, glaring at Gladiator as Sue steps up to play devil’s advocate.]

Genis-Vell: Not guilty.

Gladiator: You’re even more foolish than you are suicidal, Kree.

Susan: Gladiator, we think he might not have--

[Panel 3: Gladiator turns around to Sue, talking down to her while Genis manages to sit himself up.]

Gladiator: You dare play advocate for somebody who is obviously guilty?!

Genis: Oh, lighten up.

Besides, she’s right. I didn’t have any control of myself. None at all.

[Panel 4: Gladiator backs off, still glowering at Genis in anger.]

Gladiator: Hrmph. A likely story.

Genis: Believe what you want. But it’s true.

[Panel 5: Johnny looks over towards Genis, frowning.]

Johnny: Go on.

You’ve got my interest piqued.

[Panel 6: Genis looks down in shame, knowing the atrocities he’s committed on Rao’s Reach.]

Genis: So… before all… well, all this.

I was shunted into the Darkforce by Baron Zemo.

[Page 16]

[Panel 1: Genis uses his arms to gesture out details, everybody gathering around to listen.]

Genis: He separated me so that I couldn’t come back.

I did… but I don’t know how. One moment I’m just floating in darkness--

\--the next I’m on Titan. Back home.

[Panel 2: Flashback, to Genis flying up to a joint fleet of various alien races.]

Genis [Capt]: I decided to strike out on my own for a bit. 

And I stumbled across something big.

[Panel 3: A group shot of the five major alien races in the Marvel Universe.]

Genis [Capt]: After something people called the Annihilation Wave, there’s been a massing of powers from the corners of the universe.

The Kree. Skrulls. Badoon. Shi’ar. Hell, even the Dire Wraiths.

[Panel 4: Gladiator looks down towards a curious Johnny, who presses him for questions.]

Gladiator: The Shadow Pact.

Johnny: I’m sorry, what?

Gladiator: The Annihilation Wave splintered the galactic powers. Many feel that their leaders are no longer able to protect them.

[Panel 5: Gladiator holds out a hologram of Captain Glory, from the Lethal Legion. (See: Avengers: No Surrender.)]

Gladiator: A Kree named Gla-Ree declared a new haven for all those unwilling to help rebuild for a government they think will tumble again.

[Panel 6: Genis’ hand, on its own, reaches for his pistol, with only Spider-Man noticing at the last second.]

Genis: But that’s not the mind melt.

They’re guarding something. Blockading their territory.

I don’t know what it was, but-- it swallowed me up when I broke through, and now I’m here… 

[Page 17]

[Panel 1: Spider-Man points to Genis’ half-off-panel hand, raising a lens as the gun raises in sync.]

Spider-Man: Is uh… is nobody else watching his gun? Because he’s got it.

He’s picking it up.

[Panel 2: From behind and above the F5, Genis tries to move his head away from the the gun as it slowly makes its way towards him, Gladiator and the Guard in combat positions.]

Genis: It’s not me.

Gladiator: Stand down, Kree!

Genis: It’s not me, I swear! It’s them!

[Panel 3: Portrait shot of Sue, who raises an eyebrow in confusion.]

Sue: Them?

[Panel 4: Genis moves his gun towards his neck, apparently not of his own volition.]

Genis: Them! The Archons!

This is the only way they’ve got to control us now, but--

\--but they’re slowly building up strength! Soon, they--

[Panel 5: Reed reaches out, trying to stop Genis, shouting while the other F5 members stand in shock, not knowing what to do.]

Genis [OP]: --they’ll have reality in their puppet strings.

Reed: Genis! Don’t!

[Panel 6: Genis’ eye behind the mask; he’s terrified, knowing death is about to come to him.]

Genis: I’m sorry.

I’m a loose end.

[Page 18]

[Panel 1: The entire F5, along with Gladiator and the Imperial Guard, look on in shock as Genis pulls the trigger on his pistol off-panel. A large spray of Kree grey matter and blue blood are all we see of the shot aside from the shadow of Genis in the bright green laser blast. Silent panel.]

[Panel 2: Genis’ headless body has fallen down, the icky bits obscured from the reader. His grip on the pistol has released, the gun clattering to the ground.]

[Panel 3: With a disturbing lack of remorse, the Imperial Guard has set about trying to restore order; Smasher is in the foreground, picking up Genis’ pistol while Cerise and Nesosaurus are on crowd control. Gladiator, however, is still standing there, along with the F5. He’s still trying to wrap his head around the whole thing. Silent panel.]

[Panel 4: Gladiator turns to Reed, who also turns to face the Majestor.]

Gladiator: ...Perhaps it’s time we talked.

Reed: Agreed. Sue, Ben, assist the Guard in helping civilians.

Johnny, Peter, signal the Fantasticar for auto-retrieval, then come with me.

We need to plot our next move.

[Page 19]

[Panel 1: A few hours later. The Imperial Guard have established a command center (a tent with a holographic map of the universe) where Reed, the F5 sans Peter, and Gladiator have gathered.]

Reed: These Archons…

Gladiator: I have no idea what Genis-Vell spoke of, Richards.

Our database has no record of such creatures.

[Panel 2: Johnny looks up to Gladiator, confused by such.]

Johnny: You’re joking, right? If these guys are as powerful as Genis said--

Gladiator: As much as the Shi’ar propagandize--

We aren’t all-knowing. At least, not when it comes to the ancient ancestors of our universe.

[Panel 3: Sue swivels her finger around a small tract of the universe, indicating where she wants to go; Ben cracks his knuckles in agreement.]

Sue: Then we start with the modern stuff.

We know where the Shadow Pact is and what we’re dealing with.

Ben: I’m with Suzie! We can put those fellas right back in their place!

[Panel 4: Reed scratches his chin in thought, Johnny looking at him worriedly.]

Reed: Hmmm…

Johnny: Remember how I said you saying “I don’t know” is the scariest thing you’ve ever said?

This is worse.

Reed: I’m just making a hypothesis.

[Panel 5: Reed looks towards the rest of the team (sans Peter) and Gladiator, brow furrowed in a serious face.]

Reed: If these beings are so ancient--

\--and so desperate to change the status quo of the universe--

\--then they’re more than likely as far as where they’re from as possible.

[Panel 6: Sue smiles, hugging Johnny and Ben with a little help from her force fields.]

Sue: Then that’s how we figure out the Archons.

Figuring out where they came from.

Ben: Road trip in space!

Johnny: God, I love this family.

[Page 20]

[Panel 1: We move over to Peter, where we find the real reason he’s not with the rest of the team: he’s trying to explain himself to Mary Jane via holographic chat.]

Peter: Yeah, I know. I promised I’d only be gone a day…

Something came up, Red. The literal universe is at stake!

[Panel 2: MJ points her finger at Peter, who narrows his lenses; he doesn’t like being told he’s wrong about saving the world.]

MJ: I get that, Peter! But you still have a family on Earth!

Peter: I haven’t forgotten, honey, I promise. But I can’t ask the others to leave me behind and then have them die on me.

[Panel 3: MJ looks off to the side, disappointed, as Peter caresses the hologram.]

MJ: And what if you’re there with them?

Peter: Hey. I won’t be gone long. A few days, maybe less. I promise.

[Panel 4: Peter’s lenses raise, trying to make the situation a little lighter.]

Peter: Hey. Can I talk to the kids?

MJ: Are ya just saying that so you can deflect the conversation?

Peter: You know me so well. Heh.

[Panel 5: Mayday holds Annie’s hand as she, Mayday and Cindy (As an honorary Parker kid) come into the hologram.]

Annie: Hi, Daddy!

Peter: Hey, Pumpkin! How’re you guys doing?

Mayday: Doing good, Dad. How’s space?

[Panel 6: Behind the lenses, Peter’s eyes drift off to the side as he tries to explain himself.]

Peter: Uhhh… that’s actually why I’m calling. Something came up, and I’m gonna be gone for a few more days.

[Page 21: More Parker family bantz.]

[Panel 1: Peter points to Cindy, who waves in acknowledgement.]

Peter: Mayday, Annie, you listen to your mom while I’m gone alright. 

Mayday/Annie: Got it dad!

Peter: And Cindy, you’re in charge in the field until I come back. But, that doesn’t mean you don’t listen to Mary Jane as well, ok.

Cindy: You got it, boss.

[Panel 2: Peter points over towards the mobile command center, gesturing towards his family, Cindy at the forefront of the whole thing.]

Peter: Hey, anybody want me to pick up a souvenir while I’m out here?

Mayday: Is this a promise or “if I get around to it?”

Peter: It’s a “If I get around to it.”

[Panel 3: Cindy pops out into the forefront, Mayday standing there in a brooding fashion.]

Cindy: What kind of food do they have in space?

Peter: Uh… I dunno? But I can find out on the way.

Cindy: Awesome!

Mayday: Whatever you find works for me.

Peter: Uh-huh. And Annie? Whatcha in the mood for?

[Panel 4: Focused on the hologram; Annie, excited, while the rest of the Parker family (And Cindy) look at her in confusion.]

Annie: A moon rock!

[Panel 5: Peter raises an eyebrow behind the mask; his lens is comedically elevated to an untold degree. Silent panel.]

[Panel 6: Annie holds her arms out wide, emphasizing the size of the hypothetical rock as Peter cuts the feed.]

Annie: Y’know, a moon rock!

Thiiiiis big!

Peter: Uh-huh. I’ll try, peanut.

Look, Reed just called everybody to head out, I gotta go. Love you!

MJ: We love you too, Peter. Come home safe, please.

Peter: It’s a promise.

[Page 22]

[Panel 1: Reed shakes hands with Gladiator, who seems less than enthusiastic about letting the F5 take over from here.]

Reed: In that case--

\--we’ll be off.

Gladiator: Very well, Richards.

Here’s to hoping you don’t get sucked into the never-ending mystery of the impossible on your journey.

[Panel 2: Sue scoffs, with Gladiator looking at her in confusion as the rest of the team assembles behind her and Reed.]

Sue: Heh.

Gladiator: Is there something funny in my statement, woman?

[Panel 3: Massive panel, taking up three-quarters of the page. The F5 (Reed in the front, Ben and Sue on either side and Peter and Johnny flanking) walk towards the reader; Gladiator and the Imperial Guard are looking at them in confusion in the background, with other civilians looking on in wonder/curiosity.]

Sue: Well, just that it’s true.

We start with the impossible.

[To be continued]


	2. Black and Blue Amongst the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fantastic Five begin their search for the mythical Archons. But what will the breaking point before the cosmic points-- as well as the universe itself-- start biting back?

Fantastic Five #2 (of 5)  
“Black and Blue Amongst the Stars”

Writer: Neil Bogenrieder  
Assistant Writer: Nerd Wonder  
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar

Preferred Art Team: Kenneth Rocafort

[Page 1]

[Panel 1: Rao’s Reach. As Gladiator and the Imperial Guard watch, the Fantasticar takes off from the ground.]

Ben: So that’s it, Stretch?

We just leave an’ let Gladiator take charge while we--

[Panel 2: An interior of the vehicle is shown with Ben in the pilot cockpit with Sue and Reed nearby while Johnny and Peter are in the back looking out the window as Johnny waves Gladiator a small farewell.] 

Ben: -- I dunno, chase space ghosts from coast ‘ta coast?

Reed: Gladiator is more than capable of restoring order, Ben. Rao’s Reach is under Shi’ar jurisdiction.

And as the Majestor, it is within his right to take charge.

[Panel 3: We see the Fantasticar flying off into the darkness of space with the planet now far behind them, now nothing more than a tiny ball]

Sue: Reed, Ben has a point.

I know I stood up for Photon back there, but… we don’t know if Genis was telling the truth or not.

[Panel 4: Close up of Reed, Sue and Ben huddled by pilot console discussing where to go.]

Reed: Which is why we need to play our cards smart, dear.

Ben: We’ve got a couple ‘a galaxies right next door.

If we’re gonna start anywhere, it should be there.

Reed: I agree.

Starting far away from where Genis discovered the Shadow Pact-- 

[Panel 5: The camera goes to a back shot as they continue discussing but is now backing up to where Peter and Johnny are with only Johnny’s face in view]

Reed [OP]: --The last place they would ever want to be.

[Panel 6: Close up of Peter’s seat with his reflection showing in the glass of the window as he takes off his mask]

Reed [OP]: Ben, set course towards… these coordinates.

Ben: On it.

[Panel 7: The fantasticar speeds off into a nebula, fading into the farther reaches of space]

Ben [Int]: Off we go.

[Page 2]

[Panel 1: Shows the Fantasticar in the distance resting on a sand planet as the group looks around the desolate wasteland and finds no leads.]

Capt: Desola

[Panel 2: Scene is a pink planet. Sue and Reed attempt to discuss things with the blue furred locals but are given no help. Johnny can be seen in the background giving off his showman flair to a group of locals who are in awe at his abilities while Peter and Ben are gazing at the architecture.]

Capt: Birj

[Panel 3: A zoom out shot of the crew on cybertron being greeted by Wheeljack and several Autobots. The Autobots tower over them like mountains, thus they kneel to greet the tiny crew.]

Capt: Cybertron

[Panel 4: The crew are seen talking to locals of a small fishing town on a remote planet. Seen in the foreground is Johnny attempting to woo several local girls with his charm while Spidey prepares to play a trick on him from above one of the villages food silos. In the background Reed and Sue talk to a village elder but are shown to be disappointed while Ben’s left foot falls into the flimsy wooden paneling of the fishing pier gaining several onlookers.]

Capt: Pacifigol

[Panel 5] The crew are seen back on the Fantasticar, flopped over on their seats exhausted. Peter, Johnny and Reed have a small amount of facial hair, while Ben has a small stubble of weeds on his chin. The ship sails in autopilot and alerts them as they venture to another planet.]

[Panel 6] The scene returns to Peter’s spot of the ship. He is flopped over three chairs with Johnny in the background resting his face on the wall. His hands are holding a photo into the air.]

[Panel 7] The photo is shown to be a get together with his close friends and family with the words ‘Home’ written on the bottom margin. In the center is himself hugging MJ with Mayday and Cindy beside them with Annie in the center.]

[Page 3]

[Panel 1] An establishing shot of a marketplace/bazaar bustling with shopkeepers and customers.]

[Capt: Hedonia: a merchants’ planet on the edge of nowhere…]

[Panel 2: Sue and Reed are looking at their tracker with Reed showing dismay at their predicament. Ben is in the background, trying to enjoy himself.]

Reed: We’re at the end of our rope. Gone from one end of the universe to the other--

Sue: Dear, stop exaggerating.

Reed: Right. Still, nothing.

Ben: Hey, we’re at a market, Stretch! Perk up!

[Panel 3: Ben gets into a discussion with one of the merchants attempting to find something similar to a cigar. Sue nudges Reed to follow her into the distance to a dress shop but Reed is seen to still be disappointed in their results.]

Sue: Reed. C’mon.

Reed: But… the tracker--

Sue: Can wait. Ben’s right. We’re in a market all the way out in the middle of nowhere.

We should at least try to enjoy ourselves.

[Panel 4: Peter is shown examining the wares of a shop long and hard as he discusses with the shopkeeper about what food is good and wont kill someone like him. The shopkeeper (as shopkeepers do) pushes his cuisine as the finest grade of all and goes on a long tangent.]

Peter: So… what’s good around these parts?

Shopkeeper: Everything here is wonderful. We have delicacies from across the universe.

Flerken tentacles, Skrull eyeballs on a stick--

They taste like Shi’ar filet.

[Panel 5: Peter tries to explain to him he just doesn’t want something that will hatch eggs in his stomach later and the chef takes offense.]

Peter: Yeah… no, I just wanted to know if any of these things will hatch eggs in my stomach later.

Shopkeeper: You think I’m rich enough to make that kind of meal?!

Do I look like a chain store owner?!

[Panel 6:] Johnny appears dumping his purchases on a counter with a loud thud as he nonchalantly starts sparking up a conversation with Susan. Susan attempts to shoo Johnny away. (Having found a nice space dress.)]

Johnny: Hey, sis!

I’m headed back to the Fantasticar; you find what you wanted yet?

Susan: Johnny, we’re trying to relax, and--

[Page 4]

[Panel 1: Susan looks down, finally noticing the stuff in his basket: plans for low-tonnage weapons. (Including point-defense cannons and missile launchers.]

Susan: Oh. My. God.

Why do you have plans for weapons?

[Panel 2: Reed looks at the plans, raising his eyebrows from what he sees. Sue turns to Johnny demanding to know how he acquired this stuff.]

Reed: I… where did you find this?

Sue: Better question. How did you afford it?

[Panel 3: Johnny explains his finances, Sue raising an eyebrow in confusion.]

Johnny: Okay, so before Lyla vanished into the Negative Zone--

\--she left all her money to me in her will. All in galactic credits.

It’s a lot of credits.

[Panel 4: Johnny continues explaining himself as the three walk out of the shop.]

Johnny: This isn’t even close to a fraction of what she left me, so i figured we should trick out our ride.

Sue: You’re using your ex-wife’s money to buy weapons.

Johnny: Dead ex-wife, so that makes it okay.

[Panel 5: As Peter holds several bags of food and merchandise, a young, attractive alien comes up and brushes his chest to flirt with him.]

Alien: You. You’re human, yes.

Your kind are built for breeding, yes?

Peter: Uh… it’s… 

Alien: I have always wanted to mate with a human.

[Panel 6: As Peter brushes her off (Whether he’s oblivious or not is up to you, the reader) the alien recoils in disgust, realizing he’s not interested.]

Peter: Yeah, uh… I’m married.

Alien: What in Rao’s name is “married”?

Peter: A human… mating ritual?

Alien: Ugh. Earthlings and their disgusting traditions.

[Panel 7: Peter comes dangerously close to breaking the fourth wall, as he stares towards the reader in a manner not unlike Ben from Parks and Rec. Silent panel.]

[Page 5]

[Panel 1: Cold transition shot to the Fantasicar, in a warp tunnel on its way to another planet.]

Ben: So, we don’ know where we’re goin’?

[Panel 2: Interior shot of the Fantasticar bridge, as we see the F5 in their same seats as usual. The only difference, however, is Johnny playing with a console dedicated to their new weapons systems.]

Ben: Terrific.

Reed: Hold tight, old friend. We’ll find them eventually.

[Panel 3: Johnny excitedly holds up the console, revealing a disturbing numbers of weapons fused onto the hull of the Fantasticar.]

Johnny: I dunno about you, but I’m glad we stopped by Hedonia!

Look at all the guns we’ve got on the ship now!

[Panel 4: Susan rolls her eyes in annoyance; this is typical Johnny behavior, and she’s learned to put up with it. Silent panel.]

Susan: Ugh. Boys.

[Panel 5: Reed pours over the mountain of data on screen, as Peter pokes at the data on his screen. (At this time, a map of the universe.)]

Reed: Hmmm…

Peter, any suggestions about our next heading?

Peter: Uh… no.

I’m out of ideas.

Reed: ...I hate to say it, but so am I.

[Page 6]

[Panel 1: Ben raises an eyebrow at a strange reading on his dashboard.]

Ben: Uh, Reed…

Reed: Yes?

Ben: The warp drive is--

[Panel 2: The entire team is thrown forward and out of their chairs, as the Fantastic stops and the inertial dampeners fail.]

[Panel 3: The Fantasticar screeches to a halt, jerking violently as the engine floods and exits the warp field.]

[Panel 4: From outside the windshield, the entire team recovers, rubbing their heads and behinds to readjust.]

Johnny: We good? Everybody good?

Good.

Ben: Keep your yapper--

[Panel 5: The entire team stares outside, mouths wide in shock.]

Ben: Sweet Aunt...

[Page 7 and 8]

[Double page spread. Uatu the Watcher is standing in the middle of space, in an astral form, in front of the now-halted Fantasticar. No damage is done, but the Fantasticar is dead in space, drifting in front of the Watcher.]

[Panel 1: A small panel off to the side, of the team staring out the window; Peter is hanging upside down on the ceiling, and is the first to respond.]

Spider-Man: Uh… evening, officer.

Is there a problem?

[Page 9]

[Panel 1:The Fantasticar drifts closer and closer to Uatu, who remains stationary in the vacuum.]

Reed: Uh, Ben?

Ben: Can’t stop it, Reed. We’re dead in the water.

[Panel 2: Uatu fades away as the Fantasticar almost makes contact with him.]

Peter: Was… was that an astral projection?...

[Panel 3: Front view of the Fantastic Five as their faces are glued to the front window questioning what just happened.]

Johnny: Why the hell did we just see Uatu?

Ben: You tell me, Matchstick? You think it’s a sign? 

[Panel 4: A close up of Reed who starts to go into detail about the watcher, while being interrupted by Sue]

Reed: I can’t explain it.

Johnny: You’re using that phrase way too often recently, Reed, and to be frank?

It’s scary.

Reed: Still, there must be some explanation for why Uatu is projecting so far from Earth.

Especially since we are more than aware of his non-inter—

Sue: Uh, Reed?

[Panel 5: The view is now the back of the ship as Sue calls out to the other team members to turn around; their view is now focused on a figure off-panel.]

Ben: Aw, Hell.

[Panel 6: Uatu’s physical body, standing in the middle of the fantasticar staring at the F5. Silent panel.]

[Page 10]

[Panel 1: Johnny banters between his comrades.]

Johnny: Uh, if there’s a cosmic imbalance right now—

It’s Franklin’s fault.

Sue: Johnny!

Johnny: I know, but y’know, it could happen. Frank’s crazy powerful.

[Panel 2: Uatu lifts one hand gently into the air, reaching out for something.]

[Panel 3: An object fades into his hand’s palm. Silent panel.]

[Panel 4: Uatu gently tosses it into the air, much to the crew’s shock. Silent panel.]

[Panel 5: To the surprise of everyone, the object gently drifts toward them as if there was no gravity.]

Reed: Uatu, what…

What is this? Does this have to do with these Archons that—

[Panel 6: Reed takes the object and looks at it in awe. We see the object is an ancient tablet of some sort]

Uatu [OP]: I can only observe.

[Page 12]

[Panel 1: the F5 turn to face Uatu again but see’s that he has already vanished.]

Johnny: …

Well, that’s just typical.

[Panel 2: The crew discuss why Uatu came to them, and Reed explains that this goes against everything that the watchers enforce. If Uatu is willing to break his code and meddle with the lives of others, something dire is up ahead...and Reed has a hunch it has to do with their hunt.]

Reed: I don’t think we’re grasping the gravity of the situation.

Uatu never intervenes, and he rarely interacts with anybody.

The fact that he chose to give us any clue about the Archons—

—even something as simple as an ancient tablet—

—tells us that the threat we’re dealing with is on a scale we’ve never seen.

[Panel 3: The ship briefly shakes as it turns back on. Spidey makes a quip about this]

Peter: Right, so it chooses now to come back online.

How convenient.

[Panel 4: Ben realises that the energy signal has been picked up. Strangely its strong and they should be able to track it to its source now.]

Ben: Got something on the sensor suite.

It’s coming from within the Shadow Pact borders.

Peter: It’s the only lead we’ve had in… well, ever.

I say we go for it.

[Panel 5: everyone goes back to their seats but have become a bit tense due to previous events.]

Reed: I’ll run the tablet through the translation programs and see if I can’t come up with something.

In the meantime?

[Panel 6: The Fantasticar speeds off once more to the readings, with a narration by Johnny.]

Reed [Int]: Set a course for the border of the Shadow Pact.

Johnny: Because that’ll end well.

[Page 12]

[Panel 1: Reed has the tablet on a scanner in the lab, with the other standing around him in curiosity.]

Reed: Hmm… curious.

Ben: Well, it’s better than “I don’ know.”

Sue: So, what does the tablet say?

[Panel 2: Reed holds it, the blue light from the scanner slowly fading out as the object it was scanning is removed.]

Reed: From what I can gather? This is ancient, even for the Watchers.

This is from before… well, anything.

[Panel 3: Peter comes up to Reed, pointing to the tablet in his hands in surprise.]

Peter: Wait… so, before they gave tech to the Proscilians?

Reed: After. But before any sign of life on Earth.

It’s hard to say, given the very… subjective nature of the text.

[Panel 4: A shot of Reed’s head, floating amongst the cosmic debris of the massive war between the Watchers (Led by Ikor, the father of Uatu) and the Archons. (Led by Aos, the Archon Prime.)]

Reed: According to this text, the Archons existed parallel to the Watchers.

Where the Watchers seek to simply observe, the Archons tinker with the very fabric of reality itself.

Eventually, one of them came up with a theory: the idea that they were simply characters in a narrative.

[Panel 5: A flashback to an Archon playing with a science-fiction-y reactor; Kirby Krackle is all over the place, as is a very pink, flowing substance.]

Reed [Capt]: The major difference between the Watchers and Archons is ambition.

But as the Watchers soon found out, an Archon named Aos had no bounds to his ambition.

[Panel 6: The reactor explodes in front of Aos, causing him to be consumed in a flash of pink light.]

Reed [Capt]: It ended up being the downfall of his entire race.

[Page 13]

[Panel 1: The Archons and Watchers, at war. Because of their powers cancelling each other out, they are resorting to firearms (both projectile-based and energy-based) and melee weapons like swords.]

Reed [Capt]: Their fight lasted for eons.

Aos led his people to exceed their boundaries, feeding their ambition to transcend their supposed prison.

The Watchers, recognizing the threat they posed to the multiverse, sought to put them down by any means necessary.

[Panel 2: As the Archons lose more people by the minute, they begin fading through the multiversal fabrics, far away from the watchers’ reach.]

Reed [Capt]: Eventually, they succeeded, and whittled the Archons away--

\--bit by bit.

[Panel 3: The Watchers, surrounding the five remaining Archons, who have their arms raised in surrender.]

Reed [Capt]: But it was a costly fight. The Archons fought to the last five--

\--a brutal and final struggle to the end.

[Panel 4: A panorama of the five worlds the remaining Archons were imprisoned on: Hala, Wraithworld, Skrullos, Chandilar, and Lotiara.]

Reed: Hala.

Skrullos.

Lotiara.

Chandilar.

Wraithworld.

The last of their kind were imprisoned in the cores of the homeworlds of the core galactic powers.

Aos in particular was imprisoned on Skrullos.

[Panel 5: Large panel of Galactus destroying the Skrull homeworld, Archon Prime escaping while screaming in agony and liberation while the Skrull fleet escapes into the void.]

Reed [Capt]: Given that the text ends there--

\--it’s safe to assume that Aos--the Archon Prime-- was freed from Skrullos when Galactus consumed it.

And has gone on to free the rest of the Archons from their prisons as well.

[Page 14]

[Panel 1: The rest of the F5, with Peter crossing his arms and narrowing his lenses in an aggressive way.]

Peter: So we’re dealing with reality warpers who think they’re the heroes of their own story. Fan-freakin’-tastic.

Ben: ‘Ay, Stretcho.

How do we know they haven’t warped reality already?

[Panel 2: Sue pipes up, giving Reed a break as she holds out her hands in a snapping gesture.]

Sue: Because you can’t just snap your figures and just change reality, just like that.

Johnny: And how the hell do you know that?

Sue: Because whenever somebody does try to alter reality--

[Panel 3: A panel of Sue, with several different cosmic-tier events happening behind her, including the Eternals arriving to try and stop Thanos in the Infinity Gauntlet story, and Captain America and the Red Skull having one of their (many) battles over a Cosmic Cube.]

Sue: Because every time somebody tries to alter the universe on a drastic scale--

\--fast and hard--

\--either fate or some kind of Eternal, higher-up being always intervenes.

[Panel 4: Sue points to the tablet, still explaining everything to the others.]

Sue: But if you make small changes, small enough to just make it look like natural progress--

\--then you avoid the watchful eye of the big people upstairs.

[Panel 5: Reed smiles towards Susan (who is off-panel) with an affectionate smile, as Ben looks over towards his console.]

Reed: ...And that’s why I married you, Susan.

Ben: Uh, Reed.

[Panel 6: Reed turns back to Ben, who points his rocky finger back towards the console.]

Ben: We’re here.

[Page 15]

[Panel 1: Establishing shot. The Shadow Pact’s border; there’s no guard at all, and is just surrounded by a giant cloud of nebulous gas; just cosmic dust, which is concerning considering how eve Gladiator was hyping them up. The Fantasticar is parked just in front of the border, hovering before making any moves.]

Capt: The Shadow Pact Border

[Panel 2: The F5 just sit there, intently watching their monitors for a moment, as Peter pipes up.]

Peter: So… what now?

Reed: We make some noise.

Ben, prepare the engines to reverse thruster burn and fire towards each other.

[Panel 3: Ben looks over to Reed, confused as Peter talks again.]

Ben: Wait, what? Why?

Peter: Wait a sec. The new quantum engines operate on the Fixed Probability Theory, right?

So if we fired the engines towards each other on full burn…

[Panel 4: Peter comes over towards Reed, drawing up a rough sketch of how the theory works.]

Peter: ...then the resulting energy would collide and create a huge burst of energy that expands and disperses outwards.

The energy output would be childs’ play to notice on sensors.

Reed: Peter’s absolutely right. This has to work.

Ben, if you would, please?

[Panel 5: Ben types the commands into his console, pressing a large red button (conveniently labelled “enter command prompt”) rather reluctantly.]

Ben: Here we go. Thruster burn… now.

[Panel 6: A large shockwave of blue and red energy explodes from the Fantasticar, slowly dispersing as it travels outwards.]

[Page 16]

[Panel 1: A panel of the F5 just standing there, waiting for some kind of response. Silent panel.]

[Panel 2: Peter looks over towards Sue and Johnny, putting his arm to rest on Ben’s seat.]

Peter: So, uh… you think they heard that?

[Panel 3: A fleet of ships burst out of warp, including a Kree battlecruiser, several Skrull destroyers and a Shi’ar escort frigate. Silent panel sans the sound effects they make when they drop into realspace.]

[Panel 4: All five members look up in horror, Peter in particular gripping the piece of Ben’s seat so hard you can see a tear.]

Peter: Oooooooh.

Yeah, I think they heard it.

[Panel 5: The bridge of the Kree battlecruiser. Captain Glory is standing at the commander’s post, a Skrull coming up to him with a datapad.]

Skrull: Uh, Captain Gla-Ree.

Captain Glory: Ah, Subcommander Xanyth.

What is it?

[Panel 6: The Skrull subcommander hands his captain a holo-pad, as Captain Glory reads it intently.]

Xanyth: Well… erm, the unidentified vessel…

It hails from Earth. It belongs to the… um…

Well, I hesitate to…

Captain Glory: Get to the point, Subcommander.

Xanyth: It’s… the Fanastic Four.

Er, my apologies… Five.

They’re hailing us. Shall we reply?

[Panel 7: Captain Glory, with his face zoomed in and his expression all scrunched up in anger.]

Captain Glory: Send boarding parties to their craft and tell them to kill everybody on board.

Xanyth: But… sir.

Captain Glory: You haven’t dealt with them like the Kree Empire has.

Deploy the boarding parties. Now!

[Page 17]

[Panel 1: The F5 stare at the craft from their bridge, confused as to why their hails aren’t being answered.]

Ben: ...So’re dey gonna pick up da phone or what?

Reed: This is usual behavior for the Kree.

The Skrulls, on the other hand…

[Panel 2: Peter’s Spider-Sense goes off, as two Kree boarders come up behind them; they’re stealthily entering the bridge, putting their hand on the door to slowly open it manually.]

Spider-Man: Yeah, one sec, Reed--

[Panel 3: Peter grabs one of the Kree boarders with a webline, kicking him as he yanks on the webline.]

Spider-Man: --guess they didn’t tell you about their policy change.

[Panel 4: Peter kicks one of the boarding party down, and flips the other one over to the others, the Kree hitting his head against a forcefield Sue has created.]

Peter: Probably more of them coming up.

Ben, Johnny. You guys want a piece of this?

[Panel 5: Ben bull-rams the two Kree, shoving them through the door, Johnny flaming on in the background.]

Ben: Hell, yeah!

Clobberin’ Time!

[Page 18]

[Panel 1: Ben shoves the two boarders into the back room, as Reed presses the button for the airlock.]

[Panel 2: The cabin depressurizes, thrusting the boarding party (Including two Dire Wraiths and a Super Skrull) back into the vacuum of space.]

Boarders: AAIIIEEEEEEE!

[Panel 3: Large panel. As one of the Dire Wraiths goes tumbling into the void from a ruptured jumpsuit, the Super Skrull calls in to the flagship.]

Super Skrull: Captain, encountering far more resistance than expected.

Requesting immediate capital support.

Captain Glory: Acknowledged, stand by.

[Page 19]

[Panel 1: Captain Glory points out the window towards the off-panel Fantasticar, as flak pounds at his ship.]

Captain Glory: Get the main battery online and fire on their engines!

Xanyth: But… sir, the power drain on the reactor… we’ll have to sacrifice our shields and--

[Panel 2: Captain Glory gets up in Xanyth’s personal space, assuming direct control.]

Captain Glory: NOW!

[Panel 3: The Kree Battlecruiser’s main battery powers up, a small ball of energy appearing in the barrel.]

[Panel 4: A large panel, of the ball firing off a large beam of energy in a loud, glowing beam. Silent panel for the vacuum.]

[Page 20]

[Panel 1: The blast from the Kree battlecruiser slams into the Fantasticar, blowing up one of the engine pylons.]

[Panel 2: The entire F5 is thrown around, as the bridge collapses around them; steel plating bounces off of Grimm as it falls from the ceiling, and stray electrical wires are shielded by Sue’s barriers.]

[Panel 3: An exterior shot of the Fantasticar; with the back half exposed to the vacuum from the blast, a number of Kree, Skrulls and Shi’ar are floating, dead in the void of space.]

Captain Glory [OP]: Now, given that their defenses are down…

[Panel 4: Back on the bridge of the Kree battlecruiser, as Captain Glory and Xanyth look over the smoldering carapace of the Fantasticar via their scanners.]

Captain Glory: ..I think it would be best for us to destroy the Fantastic Five while they’re down.

Xanyth: Sir, is that really the best choice? Not exactly the most honorable one, if I may…

Captain Glory: You don’t know that team like I do. 

They’re most dangerous when their backs are against the wall, like the rest of their race.

Destroying them now is the prudent course of action.

Prep the fusion cannons and prepare to release a volley on my--

[Panel 5: A Dire Wraith officer (manning the communications panel) looks up, alerting his commanding officer.]

Dire Wraith: Captain Gla-Ree, we’re being hailed by--!

Captain Glory: Ignore them! We need to focus on--

Dire Wraith: Sir, I-- our comm systems have been hacked!

Our firewall has been overwritten!

[Panel 6: Captain Glory grinds his teeth in anger, frustrated by the apparent lack of progress.]

Captain Glory: WHAT?!

???: Ahem-- uh, this thing on? We live?

Good.

[Page 21]

[Panel 1: Captain Glory and his crew look up in shock, at the blinding blue light outside the bridge of their cruiser.]

???: Attention, Shadow Pact fleet--

[Panel 2-6: Each of the Fantastic Five have their own panel, each with a varying degree of joy and or thanks for their timely save as the bridge is in pieces around them.]

???: --I know you’re a bit out of touch with the rest of the galaxy.

With your whole isolationist policy, I honestly don’t blame you.

That said, for the more curious among you--

[Page 22]

[Splash page. It’s Richard Rider, Nova Prime, and he’s gesturing his arms outward with a cocky grin as a fleet of Nova Corpsmen (and women, we’re inclusive like that.) come up behind him, about to overwhelm the Shadow Pact.]

Nova Prime: --this is Richard Rider, Nova Prime of the Nova Corps.

And this vessel and its crew are under the my protection.

So, if any of you don’t feel like-- oh, who am I kidding, all you do is resist.

Who’s ready to get their ass kicked?

[To be continued]


	3. The Thursday War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a last-minute save by Nova Prime, the Fantastic Five plan out their next move to stop the Archons.

Fantastic Five #3 (of 5)  
“The Thursday War”

Writer: Neil Bogenrieder  
Assistant Writer: Nerd Wonder  
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar

Preferred Art Team: Kenneth Rocafort

[Page 1]

[Panel 1: Large, establishing panel that picks up where the last issue left off. Richard Rider and the Nova Corps have surrounded the Fantasticar, with Richard at the forefront, floating up in front of the Shadow Pact’s battlecruiser. Sam Alexander (Richard’s sidekick/assistant) is next to him, ready to hop in.]

Richard: Now that I have your attention…

[Panel 2: Richard smirks, knowing that simply by being Nova Prime he’s got a disgustingly high advantage in terms of political and raw power.]

Richard: ...let’s talk.

[Panel 3: The Fantastic Five look out the window, to see Richard and Sam (in the reflection of the window) floating in space.]

Richard [OP]: _Now, I’m fairly certain that action was taken preemptively…_

_...And that you fired on a non-aggressive ship._

[Panel 4: Richard floats forward, pointing at the bridge of the Kree ship. He’s almost close enough to kiss it, while Captain Glory is at the other end of the flexiglass.]

Richard: I would recommend pulling your forces back, Gla-Ree.

Before this place is declared a crime scene and you have Novas everywhere.

Captain Glory: Those Terran filth were crossing the border of a sovereign nation!

Richard: A sovereign nation that nobody recognizes. Cute paradox you have there.

[Panel 5: Richard’s mouth curls as his eyes behind the helmet narrow in frustration/losing patience.]

Richard: Don’t try to pretend that you’re anything more than a rogue state.

It won’t end well.

And be honest: how would you feel--

[Page 2]

[Panel 1: Back on the bridge of the Kree battlecruiser; Captain Glory has clenched his jaw, in an effort to stop grinding his teeth as Rich talks to him over the ship’s intercom.]

Rich [Comm]: _\--if Captain Marvel came knocking on your door, wondering where her friends went?_

_Do you really want to take that risk?_

[Panel 2: A panel of Captain Glory and Xanyth on the bridge, remaining silent as Captain Glory contemplates his options.]

[Panel 3: Similar panel, only Captain Glory is opening his mouth, while Xanyth has moved to protest.]

Captain Glory: … Pull our forces behind the border.

Xanyth: But… Captain.

Captain Glory: NOW!

[Panel 4: Richard smirks, watching the battlecruiser and its escort fleet turn away from them.]

Richard: Right.

[Panel 5: As the ships retreat behind their border, Richard watches, but is also pointing to the other Novas, giving out orders as he returns to his task force.]

Richard: Alright, Nova Corps, we’re packing up shop!

Sam, you’re with me!

Rodimus, hook up some cables to the Fantasticar; we’re gonna have to tow ‘em to Knowhere.

Kilandra, send word to Quill and the Guardians. Let them know they have Terrans inbound.

Everybody else? Return to New Xandar, and prepare for debriefing when I come back.

[Page 3]

[Panel 1: The F5 look outside the window, Ben raising an eyebrow in surprise.]

Ben: Huh.

The kid’s grown up.

Reed: That he has, old friend.

[Panel 2: As Hot Rod/Rodimus Nova transforms to tow the Fantasticar through space (With Kilandra, a Galadorian Nova, attaching steel cables to the hull and to Rodimus Nova’s alt-mode) Richard floats into the Fantasticar’s decompressed rear with Sam.]

Richard: You got this?

Rodimus: We’re good. Cables are Korbonite Steel.

I could tow these all day.

[Panel 3: Close up of Rodimus, as his rear thrusters flare up to tow the Fantasticar behind him.]

Rodimus: Y’know. Not that I want to.

Richard: You’ll do fine, ‘Rod.

[Panel 4: As Rich and Sam close the airlock behind them, they begin talking; removing their Nova helmets is the current action for both of them.]

Sam: So… we aren’t going to tell them they kinda walked into that one, right?

Richar: Ohhhhh yeah.

[Panel 5: Rich and Sam walk into the Fantasticar’s cockpit, both wearing sort-of-fake smiles as they introduce themselves to the Fantastic Five.]

Rich: Reed, you old--!

How’re you doin’?

Reed: Fine, Richard. Thank you for the save.

[Panel 6: Richard looks over to see Peter, who is leaning on a console and hoping to stay out of the spotlight.]

Richard: It’s no-- Pete?

Peter: Hey, Rich.

[Panel 7: Rich and Peter grip forearms, shaking firmly.]

Rich: So! You’re part of the F4 now?

Peter: Five, actually. But yeah.

Rich: Well, good for you!

[Page 4]

[Panel 1: The seven characters stand in the center of the cockpit, discussing their present direction.]

Sue: So, Rich. Where are you?...

Richard: Knowhere. Guardians of the Galaxy are based there nowadays.

They’ll get your ride fixed up and send you on your way.

[Panel 2: Rich gestures to the side, looking up to try and absolve himself of any blame.]

Rich: Honestly, we’d take you to Luna 1, but after you guys closed yourselves off--

\--well, most of the corps isn’t fond of humans.

Ben: But you’re a ‘uman!

Rich: But I was out in space. So I don’t count.

[Panel 3: Rich, with a faux-smug look on his face, grins dashingly; he’s used to acting the part of space cowboy, even if he doesn’t mean it.]

Rich: Plus, I ripped Annihilus’ guts out through his throat and saved the universe.

So people kinda like me.

[Panel 4: Sam raises his hand awkwardly; he’s still relatively new to the Nova thing, and he’s not just willing to blurt stuff out.]

Sam: Uh… hi.

Johnny: Hey, kiddo. How’s the Young Avengers?

Sam: Good, I… I guess.

Yeah, so aliens don’t really like me. This guy? He’s a legend.

Like he said. Annihilus and the whole “guts through throat” thing.

Me? Not so much.

[Panel 5: Sue turns to Rich, gesturing back towards the Shadow Pact border. (More as a symbolic gesture; they’re already deep in warp by this point.)

Sue: Still, we need to get back there and through that border.

Rich: Uh, no can do. At least, not officially.

The Galactic Council wouldn’t let the Corps provoke the Shadow Pact. Not unless they had a good reason.

Sue: The fate of the universe is at stake, Rich.

[Panel 6: Rich looks over to Sue, who puts her hand to her forehead.]

Rich: Reasons we can _**prove**_ , Sue. One that can make its way through red tape.

A lot of it.

Sue: ...Yeah, that might be a little tricky.

[Page 5]

[Panel 1: Rich taps his helmet, causing a small “ding!” as he does so.]

Rich: Tell you what.

When we reach Knowhere, I’ll talk to Star-Lord. See if he can help you.

[Panel 2: Rich shrugs, with Reed putting a hand on his shoulder in understanding.]

Rich: But after we drop you off, that’s as far as I can go.

My hands are tied legally.

Reed: We understand, son.

Thank you for helping us this far.

[Panel 3: As Richard walks towards the window, he raises his hand to make a point.]

Richard: Oh! Almost forgot!

Johnny, I think you’ll like this.

[Panel 4: Rich puts his arms around Johnny’s shoulders, sweet-talking him on the appeal of Star-Lord.]

Rich: When you meet Quill…

Ask him about his walkman.

Johnny: You’re joking. He’s got a walkman?

[Panel 5: Johnny looks outside, with Richard still talking to him.]

Richard: Oh, yeah. Thing’s ancient, but it plays tapes like a beast.

You should see how many cassettes the guy has.

[Panel 6: A bright, smarmy smile on Johnny’s face; he’s totally sold.]

Johnny: Far out.

[Page 6]

[Panel 1: As the Fantasticar is gently landed on a platform nearby, with Rodimus detaching the tow cables, the Guardians of the Galaxy enter onto the platform.]

Capt: Knowhere

PA: Attention, Captain Quill.

Nova Prime is dropping off guests on Platform C-16.

Star-Lord: Copy, Control.

Alright, Guardians--

[Panel 2: Large panel, of the all-new Guardians; a mix of the DnA run and all-new members: Star-Lord, (With a mix of his DnA helmet and the Anka torso.) Rocket Racoon, Groot, Beta Ray Bill, Phyla-Vell, Moondragon, ROM the Spaceknight and Gamora.]

Star-Lord: --we’re dealing with Terrans on this one.

If they stare, don’t take it personally.

Moondragon: No promises, Peter.

[Panel 3: As the F5 walk down with the loading ramp (Rodimus transforming in the background) Richard and Star-Lord shake hands.]

Richard: Hey, Quill.

Star-Lord: Rich. How’s Luna 1?

Richard: Boring.

[Panel 4: Rich gestures to the F5 (And by extension the busted-up Fantasticar) as the team waves together.]

Rich: These guys are the F5.

They’re looking into some guys called the Archons, and they got hit by the Shadow Pact.

Quill: Those loons again? Aw, cripes.

[Panel 5: Quill spins his finger to a repair crew, who rush over as the F5 join the Guardians.]

Quill: Well, the repairs are the easy part.

_> Phweet!<_

[Panel 6: Quill turns back to the party, with Phyla-Vell and Rom speaking up.]

Quill: The Archons bit, though? That’s a bit trickier.

Phyla: We could let them check our archives for anything relevant.

ROM: I doubt it would help. I have memorized the entire archive and there is no mention of any Archons.

Phyla: Still, it’d be rude to not offer.

[Page 7]

[Panel 1: Beta Ray raises his hand (Holding Stormbreaker) in agreement, as Rich and his remaining Novas leave the platform.]

Bill: Aye! It is our duty as Guardians to help all those who need our help!

Rich: Alright, it’s settled then.

Since my hands are tied from here, I guess the Guardians are your… chaperones in the stars.

[Panel 2: Rich and Reed shake hands again, a sign of mutual respect.]

Reed: Thank you again, Richard.

Rich: My pleasure. Say hi to the kids for me?

Sue: Deal.

[Panel 3: As Sam, Rodimus and Kilandra fly off in the background, Rich turns around to smile at Gamora, who gives a seductive smirk in return.]

Rich: Gamora.

Gamora: I’ll see you on Luna 1.

Rich: Heh.

[Panel 4: Rich flies off with Sam, Rodimus and Kilandra, while Star-Lord and the Guardians escort the five into the innards of Knowhere.]

Quill: We’ll get you set up with temporary quarters--

\--and give you full access to our archives.

Ben: Any chance ya got some place ta eat?

[Panel 5: Johnny walks up and talks to Star-Lord, with Groot leaning over to the other shoulder wit the others behind them.]

Star-Lord: A walkman. That’s what you people think I have?

Johnny: Yeah. Nova said you listen to tapes and stuff.

Groot: I am Groot.

Star-Lord: You said it, Groot. I’m gonna kill him.

[Page 8]

[Panel 1: A large conference room, with the Fantastic Five and Guardians I(Sans Bill) sharing their notes.]

ROM: It’s… odd.

Drax: What is?

ROM: I’ve memorized every inch of our central databanks.

[Panel 2: ROM slides a data cube into the center of the table, activating a hologram projector underneath it.]

ROM: But I’ve never seen this entry.

Sue: And it just so happens to be about the Archons.

ROM: Yes.

Ancient texts. Current manifestos for their ideologies.

And their location: the Oort cloud that makes up the Shadow Pact.

[Panel 3: The hologram expands, showing the map of the universe, now including a strange oort cloud that surrounds nearly the entire Shadow Pact. (Ending just before the border.)]

ROM: We’ve been monitoring the Shadow Pact for some time.

Their presence represents a dire threat to the rest of the universe, especially given the agenda of Gla-Ree.

[Panel 4: A profile of Captain Glory appears on the border of the Shadow Pact, with Star-Lord pointing at the image.]

Spider-Man: Captain Glory, right?

Star-Lord: **_Supposedly_** , part of the Grandmaster’s Lethal Legion.

Spider-Man: I’m guessing the “supposedly” is the operating term.

[Panel 5: Close up of Star-Lord, rubbing his chin; despite his knowledge of the universe’s politics, even he is confused.]

Star-Lord: It’s… hard to explain.

He has a fairly complicated background, but his policies since then don’t match up with his established platforms.

[Panel 6: Phyla-Vell raises a hand to take over the conversation, with a fair knowledge of the Kree.]

Phyla: Here’s the thing.

Up until four years ago--

\--just after the Annihilation Wave--

\--this man didn’t exist.

[Page 9]

[Panel 1: Portrait shot of Reed and Sue, who both give a look of confusion.]

Sue: Wait, what?

Are you saying this man isn’t real?

[Panel 2: Rocket kicks his booster-seat chair up and snarkily talks as Groot talks.]

Groot: I am Groot.

Rocket: Yeah, yeah, I know. The guy exists.

Just not until after the Wave.

[Panel 3: Gamora looks around, as Peter speaks.]

Peter: So, what, we’re dealing with a guy who just appeared out of thin air when the schism happened?

Gamora: It would appear so.

…

Has anybody seen Bill?

[Panel 4: Beta Ray Bill comes into the conference room, body dripping with oil and coolant as music blares from the background in the repair bay.]

Beta Ray Bill: Apologies.

The Fantasticar’s damage was far more extensive than I first thought.

Though the combination of technology is… exotic.

[Panel 5: As Bill wipes himself down, Peter talks to him quizzically.]

Peter: I, uh… were you listening to Beastie Boys?

Bill: Yes. Earth music is loud and obnoxious, but… very enthralling.

Peter: I thought you didn’t have Earth music.

[Panel 6: Bill walks away, slinging Stormbreaker over one of his shoulders as Peter looks away and towards the viewer in confusion.]

Bill: Nova Prime didn’t give us a walkman, Spider-Man.

But the iPod was certainly a worthy substitute.

[Page 10]

[Panel 1: Reed crosses his fingers, thinking hard about what he’s learned.]

Reed: He’s bait for us; to enter the Shadow Pact.

He’s a flat character with no purpose.

[Panel 2: The rest of the table looks at Reed in confusion, Johnny in particular.]

Johnny: I dunno, Reed, he seemed pretty three-dimensional to me.

Reed: No, you misunderstand. He’s a one-dimensional character.

[Panel 3: Reed explains himself in a long-winded speech.]

Reed: In writing theory, characters require dimension to become complete and autonomous people.

Captain Glory doesn’t have dimension. He exists solely to enforce the Archon’s will.

He’s a projection.

[Panel 4: Reed points towards the Oort cloud on the hologram, emphasizing his point.]

Reed: The Archons view themselves as characters in a story. Their entire goal is to become the supposed “heroes” of the story.

And in doing so, they restricted themselves.

Sue: Restricted themselves? With what?

[Panel 5: Reed has figured it out, showing it with a cocky (if measured) smirk.]

Reed: The rules of storytelling.

Particularly the fourth wall.

[Panel 6: Star-Lord leans forward, looking towards Reed.]

Star-Lord: So, they can warp reality itself--

\--but they’re bound by the laws that make up storytelling.

Reed: Exactly. They can warp reality within the story…

...but not the story itself.

Star-Lord: That’s, uh… I need a friggin’ Tylenol.

[Page 11]

[Panel 1: Peter looks over to Reed, who returns the look for a shrug.]

Peter: So now what?

Reed: Yes?

Peter: It’s Mr. Fantastic time. You know, build a machine that nullifies the Archon’s power--

\--gets us home in time for dinner with our families--

\--and wraps everything up in twenty-two minutes.

[Panel 2: Reed looks down at the table, thinking hard.]

Reed: For all we know, the Archons don’t think they’re in a television program.

It could be something else-- a novel, a comic book, perhaps even a board game.

Besides, even if I **_wanted_ **to create a device to break reality-- and I don’t-- the question isn’t “ _ **could** _we”. It’s “ _ **Should** _we”.

[Panel 3: Sue pipes up from the other side, making another point as Reed jerks his thumb and closed fist towards her.]

Sue: Are we **_really_ **willing to break the barrier without knowing what’s on the other side?

Reed: Sue is right. We can’t take that risk. Not yet, at least.

We don’t even understand _**who** _we’re dealing with, let alone **_what_**.

[Panel 4: Peter leans over to the rest of the team, voicing his own concerns.]

Peter: But… we’re still gonna stop these guys, right?

Or at least go down swinging, I hope.

Johnny: Oh, yeah.

When the universe comes running and screaming in our face--

\--we usually just end up screaming back at it.

[Panel 5: Reed turns to the Guardians, with Star-Lord at the front of his own pack.]

Reed: We need to get past the Shadow Pact’s borders. As soon as we can.

Star-Lord: You want us--

[Page 12]

[Panel 1: Star-Lord counts off the things they’re committing to, as the rest of the groups watch.]

Star-Lord: --to violate a state’s borders--

\--fight off a fleet of hundreds of ships--

\--and potentially die--

\--so you can slip into the border and maybe beat the crap out of some evil Watchers?

[Panel 2: Star-Lord’s hand moves to make a thumbs-up.]

Star-Lord: Sounds like a Tuesday for us.

[Panel 3: The rest of the Guardians head out, with Star-Lord hanging behind with the F5.]

Star-Lord: We’re in.

Now--

[Panel 4: All the remaining parties exit the conference room.]

Star-Lord: All we need to do is figure out how we’re getting past that blockade.

Bill: Leave that to me, Star-Lord.

[Page 13]

[Panel 1: Establishing shot of the Shadow Pact border; with the recent by the F5, the fleet is on high alert and is patrolling the border. Dozens on ships are on standby, with hundreds more to be assumed patrolling all of their territory. Captain Glory’s ship, the Bastion, is the flagship, investigating the site where the F5 made their incursion.]

Xanyth [Int]: Captain?

[Panel 2: Captain Glory is on the bridge of the Bastion, watching the viewscreen as Xanyth approaches him.]

Captain Glory: Subcommander.

Xanyth: No sign of the Fantastic Five or the Nova Corps.

Perhaps we should tell the fleet to stand down.

[Panel 3: Captain Glory turns around to yell at Xanyth, who leans back timidly as a conn officer calls his attention.]

Captain Glory: No!

We serve the Archons, and their orders stand!

Conn officer: Captain Gla-Ree!

[Panel 4: Shot of the conn officer, who looks at his console as Glory looks over to him.]

Captain Glory: Helmsman.

Conn Officer: Sir, I’m getting a weird reading. Some kind of quantum flux in the light-speed realm.

Captain Glory: What kind of--?

[Panel 5: The conn officer turns around, shouting at him as a blue vortex opens up just off to the side of their viewscreen.]

Conn Officer: Sir! Incoming slipspace rupture, directly off our port!

[Panel 6:Captain Glory looks out the window in shock, as a shadow emerges from the vortex.]

Captain Glory: **_All hands!_**

Br--

[Page 14 and 15]

[WHAM! Skuttlebutt smashes through and obliterates the Bastion, splitting it right in half and sending those pieces careening into two more vessels, crippling them.]

[Panel 1: Small panel, of Beta Ray Bill in the pilot’s chair and the Guardians on Skuttlebutt’s bridge.]

Bill: To battle!

[Page 16]

[Panel 1: Large panel. Quill, ROM and Phyla-Vell eject into the vacuum, all three jetting out into battle as Skuttlebutt’s guns rain fire down on the surrounding ships.]

Quill: Alright, Guardians, let’s make some noise!

Make a big enough hole in the center and we’ll push through!

[Panel 2: Bill and Moondragon join the battle as well, raining down thunder and Heather turning into her dragon form.]

Beta Ray Bill: Today is a good day to die!

Moondragon: Speak for yourself, I plan on living through this.

[Panel 3: Star-Lord fires off one of his heavy pistols, blasting through the windshield of the bridge of another ship.]

Star-Lord: Reed!

We have them on their back foot!

You’re clear to launch!

[Panel 4: On the bridge of the Fantasticar; the Fantastic Five are strapped in, with Ben at the controls.]

Reed: Acknowledged, Star-Lord.

Ben: Ready to fly whenever you give da word, boss.

Reed: Word is given.

[Panel 5: As the hangar on Skuttlebutt’s starboard opens, the Fantasticar screams into the void, thrusters on full as they make their way through the chaos.]

Ben: Going.

[Panel 6: As Bill smashes through another cruiser, the Fantasticar speeds by him. Bill responds the only he knows how; a wave of his hammer.]

Bill: Godspeed, Fantastic Five!

Find success on your voyage!

[Panel 7: Bill makes as best a smirk as a horse-man can, with Star-Lord flying up behind him.]

Bill: While we find success here!

Star-Lord: Couldn’t have said it better myself, big guy.

Let’s go!

[Page 17]

[Panel 1: Large panel. Within the Oort cloud, the Fantasticar’s floodlights means jack; it can barely be seen amongst the purple, almost black cosmic dust.]

Ben: I’m turnin’ off da floodlights, Stretch. Can’t see anything with ‘em.

[Panel 2: Reed looks out the window, raising an eyebrow as Peter pulls his mask off.]

Reed: Strange.

Peter: Yeah. We shouldn’t be seeing this, should we?

Reed: Precisely. Oort clouds usually don’t have these… space clouds, for lack of a better time..

Sue: Usually it’s just rocks and ice cloaking a system from scans.

But I’m getting a weird reading...

[Panel 3: Reed stretches over to his wife, looking over to her shoulder to examine her readings.]

Reed: What kind, dear?

Sue: Not sure. Sensor suite can’t ID it, but it’s big.

Really big.

[Panel 5: Johnny looks over to the side, noticing that the fog of space gas is thinning up.]

Johnny: Hey, we’re out of the cloud.

Peter: Probably the eye of the storm, more than likely.

Hang on--

[Panel 6: Peter’s face, looking outside the window in absolute shock and terror.]

Peter: Holy #$@%.

[Page 18]

[Panel 1: Massive panel, taking up a good third of the page.In the middle of the nebula/oort cloud, there lies a massive metal sphere: a dyson sphere floating in the void, hollow and the light from inside the roof snuffed out. Surrounding the hollow sphere are two statues of generic Celestials, one hand each touching the top of the sphere; the other is held out, gesturing towards the ever-expanding universe. Compared to the superstructure before them? The Fantasticar is but a speck of dust.]

[Panel 2: The entire team has, once again, crowded around Ben’s pilot seat as they look on in awe.]

Johnny: Oh, man.

Is that… are those Celestials?!

Reed: I think so.

But this… we had no idea that this existed.

Sue: I’ve heard a lot of “I don’t knows” from you today, honey.

But “I have no idea” sounds way worse.

[Panel 3: Peter scans the structure, pointing out the jutting structures in the hole in the shell that could be used to land.]

Peter: Hold up.

It looks like-- wow. This thing has an atmosphere. Breathable one at that.

And you’re not gonna believe this-- a gravitational field Even though it’s hollow.

Ben: Anywhere ta’ land?

Peter: ...Huh. Yep, there’s a series of tunnels in the superstructure.

[Panel 4: Ben yanks on the steering yoke, grunting as he does so.]

Ben: Huh.

Hold on. Getting it done.

[Panel 5: The Fantasticar lands, thrusters softening their landing.]

Reed: Get the floodlights. We’ll need them to see in there.

[Panel 6: Inside the airlock, Reed pulls out a tablet containing all the information that they need.]

Johnny: That the texts the Guardians gave us?

Reed: Yes. I suspect that this place might be in the database, and give us some answers.

[Page 19]

[Panel 1: The five walk through the empty, massive corridors, lights shining outwards as they examine the intricate details.]

Johnny: I still don’t see why I can’t flame on. Give us a bit more--

Sue: Because I like breathing and we don’t know how big a supply the planet has.

Reed: Everybody, listen. According to this… the Archons have called this place the World Forge.

The Celestials forged the cores of planets here. Tossed them out into the cosmos like dice--

[Panel 2: The team continues moving their lights around, the light from the tablet illuminating Reed’s face.]

Reed: --to see if they’d land on the ultimate prize: life.

Because life isn’t created. It’s not forged in some lab, or birthed in a tube.

[Panel 3: A portrait of Reed, the only light coming from his tablet.]

Reed: It’s luck. Life is only truly created by chance.

[Panel 4: Peter examines the markings and intricate carvings in the wall.]

Peter: These markings…. Even for the Celestials, the workmanship is astounding.

Sue: Are these even Celestial marks? For all we know, it’s the Archons.

Peter: Well, sure, but… why would they put these here?

Sue: Maybe they view this place as sacred. A religious site.

[Panel 5: Reed examines the markings by stretching upwards to look at them in more detail.]

Reed: Hmmm… well, if the legend of the Celestials forging the planets is true…

Then it stands to reason that some would interpret this as the birthplace of life.

[Panel 6: Johnny walks around a corner, with the rest of the group behind him.]

Johnny: So they want to use this place to… what, break whatever imaginary fourth wall they think is there?

Ben: I dunno the science, matchstick, but... yeah.

Johnny: Well, that’s comforting.

[Page 20]

[Panel 1: The wind blowing, Johnny picks it up, his hair standing up as he notices it.]

Johnny: Uh… anybody notice the wind?

[Panel 2: Johnny turns around to find one of the five Archons in front of him, eyes glowing and limbs energized with cosmic power.]

Johnny: There’s not supposed to be any breeze in spaaa-aaa- aaw, no.

[Panel 3: The group stands back-to-back-to-back with each other, as the five Archons also blink into existence, surrounding them.]

Peter: Uh, so I’m new to the group and all--

\--but they’re way bigger than I thought they’d be.

[Panel 4: Reed holds out his hands, trying to prompt some kind of response from the glowing beings.]

Reed: Wait!

I have to ask-- what do you hope to accomplish here?

Transcend reality? Become Gods?! Whatever you do, it won’t work!

[Panel 5: The Archons raise their hands, the glow and Kirby Krackle on them intensifying.]

Archons: We do as we are written. As we are bound to do.

But not for long.

So long as you are removed from our plans--

[Panel 6: Silent panel. Each of the five fires a powerful energy blast towards the group, combininging in a pentagonal shape.]

[Page 21]

[Panel 1-5: The Fantastic Five begin vanishing in a mix of yellow energy and Kirby Krackle, each member screaming in pain as they disappear.]

Archons: We will be free.

[Panel 6: A small flash of yellow light remains (Almost like a drop of water) as a smoking blast residue sits in a ring where the team once was. The Archons surround the blast, curious.]

Archon 2: They aren’t dead.

Aos: No; they are too important to die. The narrative will collapse without them.

I simply teleported them to a place where the narrative demanded it to be so.

[Panel 7: Aos looks out to the stars, smirking maliciously; for a species so similar to the Watchers, to see one smirk is a terrifying sight.]

Aos: But wherever I have sent them… the universe has controlled their fate.

As it is written.

[To be continued]


	4. Ex Astris, Scientia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the last place they expected to be flung across the galaxy to, the Fantastic Five make a last-ditch effort to stop the Archons.

Fantastic Five #4 (of 5)  
“Ex Astris, Scientia”

Writer: Neil Bogenrieder  
Assistant Writer: Nerd Wonder  
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar

Preferred Art Team: Kenneth Rocafort and Stefano Caselli/Trionna Farrell

[Page 1]

[Panel 1: Establishing panel. In the hangar of the Baxter Building, nothing is happening; tools have been untouched for days, with a small layer of dust not visible to the reader.]

[Panel 2: A glow of yellow light explodes out of nowhere, along with a mix of Kirby Krackle.]

[Panel 3: The Fantastic Five reappear in their lab, the Fantasticar crashing behind them without its landing gear.]

[Panel 4: The five look around, confused to their current situation and surprised at their instantaneous return home.]

Ben: Uh, are we in da Baxter Building?

Sue: Either that, or this is a really accurate heaven.

[Panel 5: Reed walks into the center of the hanger, stepping onto the large metal “5” in the square center bulkhead.]

Reed: HERBIE, initialize mainframe reintegration sequence and analyze any potential energy residue on everyone in the hangar.

HERBIE: Yes, Dr. Richards.

…

Mainframe reintegration successful.

[Panel 6: Reed puts his hand to his chin, rubbing it curiously.]

Reed: Well, at least we know we’re not dead.

Now to see if--

[Page 2]

[Panel 1: Reed looks at the scans of the team, noticing the high level of reality-altering particles surrounding each of them.]

Reed: Curious…

Johnny: Well, it’s better than “I don’t know.”

Reed: The particles they used to teleport us back to Earth… they’re unstable.

[Panel 2: Reed turns to the rest of his team, explaining himself.]

Sue: Meaning?...

Ree: That the Archons have no control over where their own teleporting powers send us.

Johnny: I’m guessing it’s because of the story nature of their powers.

Reed: That would be my best guess.

[Panel 3: Reed and Sue look at the hologram, working together to understand what they’re looking at.]

Sue: Still… I think we can work with this. 

Tap into whatever their power source is and manipulate it the way we want it.

Reed: You’re right. If we were to create a device built around a reality engine...

[Panel 4: Johnny holds up his hands in hesitance, with Ben and Peter backing him.]

Johnny: Whoa, whoa, whoa.

You’re talking about altering reality and playing with the forces of nature there.

Ben: Ya said that was bad, Reed. Dat it shouldn’t be done.

[Panel 5: Reed looks at Johnny, his face grim, he knows what he said earlier, and he still means it.]

Reed: I know, Johnny. The only reason we’re even considering this…

Is because of who we’re dealing with.

If it was any other threat, we would never even consider this.

[Panel 6: Reed looks at his blueprints, knowing the kind of dice he’s rolling.]

Reed: I only pray we can save ourselves so that we have a chance to regret this.

[Page 3]

[Panel 1: As Ben, Reed and Johnny move to get the Fantasticar’s warp core out to examine it, Sue and Peter walk away.]

Reed: Now, we need to remove the quantum engines to see if we can’t--

Peter: Sue, I know you need me here, but--

Sue: I know, Pete. Our tracking devices got fried when we teleported. Go home.

[Panel 2: Sue gives Peter a friendly kiss on the cheek, as Peter smiles.]

Sue: Check up on your family, let them know you’re safe.

Peter: Thanks. God, I love this team.

[Panel 3: Peter fires a webline at the roof, pulling himself out into the open world.]

[Panel 4: Basking in the sunlight, Peter takes in the Earth’s glow.]

Peter: Ahh….

[Panel 5: Firing off a webline, Peter swings into the city.]

Peter: Feels good to finally be able to do this again.

[Page 4]

[Panel 1: Peter swings through the city, exuberant to be back in his element; naturally, the first thing he does coming home is call the lady of the house.]

Peter: C’mon, c’mon…

Phone: You’ve reached the phone of the Parker family. We’re a little busy right now, so we’ll take a message--

[Panel 2: Shot of Peter’s mask, raising an eyebrow in confusion.]

Phone: --and call you back later!

Peter [Capt]: Well, that’s weird. MJ doesn’t have anything going on today--

\--and neither does Mayday.

...They haven’t been kidnapped by a villain again, have they?

[Panel 3: Peter clicks on his F5 logo, changing back into the one and only Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.]

Spider-Man [Capt]: Anyhow-- best look the part of coming back to Earth.

I don’t think MJ’ll be happy to see the black-and-blues--

[Panel 4: Peter swings into the cityscape, his costume finishing its transition back into the reds-and-blues.]

Spider-Man [Capt]: --When her husband can come back home dressed a little more fashionably.

[Page 5]

[Panel 1: Peter lands on the fire escape outside his and MJ’s bedroom, a loud THUNK appearing underneath him.]

Peter: Home, sweet home.

[Panel 2: Peter presses his fingers against the window, confused to see nothing off-panel.]

Peter: That’s weird.

MJ’s not here.

Not like I expect her to be lying on the bed and waiting for me like a robot…

[Panel 3: Peter lifts up the window pane, crawling into the bedroom as he props up the window pane above him.]

Peter: MJ?... Mayday?

...Annie?

[Panel 4: Peter walks into the bedroom, confused to see nobody there; nothing in his room is touched by any party; it’s exactly the way he left it.]

Peter: Yeah, this isn’t weird at all.

[Panel 5: Peter looks in the closet, surprised to see nobody there.]

Peter: Well, there’s no Carlie gagged and bound in the closet.

That’s a step up.

[Panel 6: Peter opens the door into his living room, lenses scrunched up in confusion.]

Peter: Okay, this is just weird.

Any chance I can--?

[Panel 7: Coming into the living room, Peter’s lenses are wide open in shock.]

Peter: Holy….

[Page 6]

[Panel 1: Large panel. Peter has walked into the living room from the hallway to see a scene frozen in time. MJ is getting up from the couch, dropping a book to respond to whatever had triggered the reaction. Mayday, who was already standing, is facing the same direction, pointing her webshooters to defend her mother. In response to the situation, Peter is absolutely confused.]

Peter: What the hell…?

[Panel 2: Peter pulls off his mask, looking intently at the frozen MJ. He doesn’t really know how to react.]

Peter: MJ, you there?

[Panel 3: Peter, not lacking any subtlety, pokes his wife, with only the skin moving; the rest of her face remains perfectly static.]

Peter: Well, it’s not Kang. I hope.

[Panel 4: Turning to the side, Peter notices another familiar sight; Cindy in civilian clothes, leaping over the table to engage whatever had appeared in the apartment. A bowl of chips has been knocked over, flying all over the place.]

Peter: Whatever happened here…

It definitely set off Cindy and Mayday’s Spider-Senses...

[Panel 5: Peter grabs a chip out of the air, examining it.]

Peter: ...before whatever did this went down.

[Panel 6: Peter puts the chip in his mouth, eating it and feeling guilty about doing so.]

Peter [Capt]: I know, I know. Not the time.

But hey, I’ve been in space for three (four?) days?

I need human food.

[Page 7]

[Panel 1: Peter looks around, noticing the absence of his youngest daughter.]

Peter [Capt]: Wait a tick.

Where’s Annie?

[Panel 2: Peter’s Spider-Sense goes off; what’s alarming about this is that rather than the wavy, consistent alarm bell in Peter’s head, it’s janky and disorienting. The area around him is causing his Spider-Sense to static out.]

Peter: Spider-Sense!... Agh!

It’s different… like I’m getting less and less idea of what’s going to…

[Panel 3: Shot from behind him. Peter whips around to find Annie standing there, arms tucked behind her body.]

Peter: Annie!

Thank God I found…

How did you get there when everybody else is…

[Panel 4: Peter’s eyes narrow; he’s realizing that something is wrong, and preps his webshooters.]

Peter: What did you do with Annie?

[Panel 5: Annie’s smile twists to a very menacing glare; it’s something you’d see from a Skottie Young cover.]

Annie: Hello, Mr. Parker.

I hope you don’t mind me borrowing your daughter for a moment--

[Panel 6: Peter points his webshooters at Annie, who holds up a finger to prompt him to hold himself back.]

Annie: Ah-ah-ah…

Remember, this is still your daughter, Mr. Parker.

Do you really want to hurt a three-year old so that you kick me out of their body? When I can simply inhabit another of your family and begin this all again?

[Page 8]

[Panel 1: Peter lowers his webshooters, glaring at Annie in anger at his inability to do something.]

Peter: ...So which of the Archons are you?

Archon Prime? Or one of his flunkies?

[Panel 2: Annie looks up, smiling innocently at Peter.]

Annie: Very astute, Mr. Parker! Your intuition may very well rival the intelligence of Reed Richards!

But Archon Prime sounds so… formal. Please, call me Aos.

[Panel 3: Peter raises an eyebrow suspiciously; he knows that he’s being tooled with.]

Peter: Right. Because your real name is supposed to endear me to you.

A bunch of Watcher knockoffs who think they’re the heroes of their own story.

[Panel 4: Annie mockingly points to Peter, who points back in anger.]

Annie: “Hero to their own story.” Ha!

Aren’t you supposed to be the hero, Mr. Parker?

Peter: I’m not the one trying to rewrite reality to make myself the lead in a story that doesn’t exist.

[Panel 5: Annie turns around, walking away from Peter.]

Annie: Please. It’s relative to every person.

We’re simply trying to put ourselves in a place where the universe will consider us safe from--

\--what’s the word you humans use?--

-Ah, yes. Limbo.

[Panel 6: Peter keeps his suspicious look; while he doesn’t buy any of it, he’s done wasting time.]

Peter: Right. Sure.

So, out of all the F5, you hold my family hostage. Here’s my question: why?

[Page 9]

[Panel 1: Annie whips around, pointing to Peter again.]

Annie: Because you are the weakest link.

Peter: Wow, the newest member of the group being the weak link. That’s not trite.

Annie: You’re learning, Peter. Trite is what works, it’s been proven.

That’s why we do it.

[Panel 2: Annie climbs on top of the kitchen table, to come eye-to-eye with Peter.]

Annie: See, storytelling is a science as much as it an art.

In that way, humans and Archons are very much alike.

Peter: Yeah, sure, if you take away the whole “altering reality on a whim” bit.

[Panel 3: Peter points to Annie, who has moved away from him to grab a chip.]

Peter: Okay, so here’s my next question.

Now that you have my family hostage, what do you want from me?

[Panel 4: Annie has grabbed a chip from the air, taking a bite out of it smugly as she leans on Cindy’s face. (The cheekbone in Cindy’s face provides support since she’s frozen mid-air.)]

Annie: Ah, now we get to the fun part.

Peter [OP]: The climax, if I was to go along with your delusions?

Annie: You’re learning.

Now, we’re aware that your team--

[Panel 5: Peter shrugs, looking away in apathy.]

Peter: You know, just because the name sounds goofy--

\--doesn’t mean you can’t say it out loud.

Annie: Very well. We’re aware that the Fantastic Five are building a device to stop us.

A weapon, if you may.

[Panel 6: Peter leans in towards Annie, not really buying into the word choice.]

Peter: I think “weapon” is a strong word for “the only thing that can slow you down.”

Annie: Call it what you will, Mr. Parker. But it is meant to directly harm us--

Peter: Not even directly.

Annie: But it still hurts us in the end. Now, if you were on the other end--

\--what word would you use?

Peter: That’s moot.

[Page 10]

[Panel 1: Same as panel 6 from page 9, where Peter is leaned in to talk to Annie.]

Peter: Either way… do you expect me to talk?

[Panel 2: Annie playfully slaps Peter on the right left cheek three times.]

Annie: No, no, no… we expect you to cooperate. There’s a difference.

[Panel 3: Peter rises back up, looking down on Annie, who walks away with a creepy glare on her face reminiscent of a Watcher.]

Peter: And what, pray tell, is that?

Annie: One involves subtlety, the other involves force.

Peter: Hrmmm.

Annie: Either way, while our vision is unlimited, our ability to manifest is…. Less so.

[Panel 4: Annie whips around, pointing to Peter.]

Annie: If a character is relatively unimportant, we simply exert our will upon them.

The Fantastic Five, however… they’re essential to this part in particular. It’s near impossible to control them now.

But you have family outside the team; and that makes you valuable.

[Panel 5: Annie shrugs, offering a deal up to Peter.]

Annie: Here’s the deal. Either you destroy the device that Reed Richards and that smug little daughter of his are building--

\--or sabotage it to make us more powerful--

\--and when we take over the universe, we will spare you and your family in the new universal order.

[Panel 6: Peter gets on his knee, looking Annie/Aos straight in the eye.]

Peter: And if I refuse?

Annie: What else?

[Page 11]

[Panel 1: Annie’s face has sunken downwards, an eerie smirk the only thing visible in the shadowed head.]

Annie: We tear your family asunder, piece. By piece. By piece.

And the best part?

[Panel 2: Annie taps Peter’s forehead, his eyes moving up to acknowledge the tap.]

Annie: And the worst part? You’ll remember everything. They’ll remember nothing.

You’ll just be Peter Parker, the man without a family.

All alone.

And reality will reshape to accommodate. 

[Panel 3: Peter is seething in anger. He knows that if Mayday and MJ were to die, it wouldn’t be like this.]

Peter: ...Parker women can be stubborn, you know.

They won’t go down without a fight. When you try to erase them--

\--because since when do supervillains ever keep their promises?--

\--they won’t go down effortlessly; they’ll come at you with fists swinging and teeth bared.

[Panel 4: A close up of Peter’s face; he’s confident of the ability of the women in his family (Aka everybody but him.) and the smirk on his face tells us this.]

Peter: And it’ll be the best damn sight I ever see.

[Panel 5: The glow in Annie’s eyes fades as Aos disposes of his vessel, offering her hand to Peter.]

Annie: Still, think about it. Because what good is paradise without somebody to share it with?

We’ll give you the day to think about it.

[Panel 6: As Aos leaves, Annie’s body slows and eventually stops, frozen in midair. Peter can only sit and watch as his daughter is frozen in time. Silent panel.]

[Page 12]

[Panel 1: Large panel. Peter is standing silently in the middle of his living room, not sure how to react now that Aos is gone.]

[Panel 2: Peter sits down on the couch with MJ, moving carefully to avoid Mayday. (Who is still standing in front of MJ.]

[Panel 3: Putting his hands on MJ’s chin and the back of her head, Peter kisses MJ on the cheek, not really sure how she’ll react when she’s frozen in time.]

[Panel 4: Peter’s phone buzzes, as he moves to answer it.]

Peter: Hang on, honey. I need to take this.

[Panel 5: Peter puts the phone up to his ear, looking at the floor in guilt.]

Peter: Hey, Reed… yeah.

Almost?... alright, I’ll be there in a minute.

I just need to take care of something.

[Panel 6: Peter taps his Spider-Symbol, turning his costume back to his F5 uniform as he puts his phone away.]

Peter: Okay…

[Page 13]

[Panel 1: Peter sits down, writing a note on a piece of paper he tore out of Cindy’s notebook from the back.]

Peter [Capt]: “Hey, MJ. On the off chance the Archons release you before they wipe reality--

\--I just want you to know what’s happened.

[Panel 2: Peter pulls on his mask with one hand, and looking down guiltily at Cindy.]

Peter [Capt]: “The others and I built a device. I don’t know how it works--

\--but I trust Reed when he says it’ll work. It’ll work.

It has to.

[Panel 3: Peter gets down on his knees to look Annie’s frozen body, still visibly guilty.]

Peter: “There’s so many things I want to talk to you about now.

“How I never got to teach Annie how to use webshooters.

[Panel 4: Peter gives the frozen body of Mayday a hug and a kiss on the crown of her head.]

Peter [Capt]: “How I never got to show Mayday how to play a game of basketball like she wanted.

“How Cindy never got the chance to take my place.

[Panel 5: Peter sits next to MJ again, holding the folded letter in his right hand. (Located right next to her.)]

Peter [Capt]: “Or how I’ll never get another chance to say “I love you” if this doesn’t work.

“But I can say this, right here in this letter.

“The time I did get? I don’t regret any of it.

[Panel 6: Peter slips the letter into MJ’s frozen hands, kissing her on the cheek again.]

Peter [Capt]: “Even if the Archons do succeed and change everything…

“I will find you again. I’ll make everything right again. To you bring you back into my life, and me into yours…

[Page 14]

[Panel 1: Peter hops onto the windowsill, looking back over his frozen apartment again for possibly the last time.]

Peter [Capt]: “I’d go to the ends of the apartment, the city, the Earth.

“Even the universe. Just to make sure I came back home to all of you here.

[Panel 2: Peter put the mask on top of his head, not having pulled it over his face yet.]

Peter [Capt]: “I love you. All of you.

[Panel 3: Peter has now pulled the mask over his face, the white lenses narrowed in determination as he concentrates.]

Peter [Capt]: “Forever and always.”

[Panel 4: Peter swings off into the cityscape towards the Baxter Building. Silent panel.]

[Page 15]

[Panel 1: Peter dives into the Baxter Building’s hangar, dropping off from a webline.]

Capt: The Baxter Building

Johnny: Hey, Peter.

[Panel 2: Peter, having landed on his feet, pulls off his mask; he’s obviously been crying on his way here.]

Peter: …

Susan: I know, Peter. We saw the suit’s cameras.

[Panel 3: Having to “mom up”, Sue gives Peter a hug; once again, she fulfills the role of the team mom/sister, giving Peter a shoulder to cry on.]

Sue: I know.

Peter: It’s gonna work. Right?

Sue: It’ll work.

[Panel 4: Peter’s face straightens harshly; he’s now ticked off. The tears are still dripping off his face and his eyes are still red, but his mood has trickled from anguish to rage.]

Peter: Alright, then.

Let’s kick their asses.

[Panel 5: Valeria walks into the room, carrying a small battery with her at her side.]

Valeria: Language.

Susan: Val… not now…

Peter: No. No… No, I’m good.

Need to watch my mouth.

[Page 16]

[Panel 1: Large panel, taking up the majority of the page; Reed and Valeria are still working on the massive cannon, almost the size of all five of the team put together. The Fantasticar has been gutted from the back, it’s quantum engines having been used a power source. Leaning against the wall and glowing with energy, it’s a weapon on par with Iron Man’s proton cannon in size but far deadlier than it would seem visually.]

Peter: What are we working with?

Reed: Peter, good. Think you can help Valeria and I make some final adjustments?

Peter: Sure, if I knew what you were building.

Reed: We call it the Chekhov’s Gun. You can thank Johnny for the name.

Peter: When did Johnny get so smart? And why are the Fantasticar’s quantum engines hooked up to this thing?

Reed: I don’t know if I can truthfully answer the first question.

Johnny: Har, har.

Reed: But the engines are our power source. Not to mention the method to our madness.

[Panel 2: The smaller panel takes up a quarter of the page. Reed has shrunk down to hand Peter a tool, which he graciously accepts.]

Reed: These Quantum engines are prototypes. Rather than our conventional quantum tech--

\--which rubberbands a ship between point A and B--

\--these engines are designed to induce quantum particle displacement.

Peter: So… particle shunting. It’s just not instantaneous.

[Page 17]

[Panel 1: As Peter gets to work welding (Sue putting on a welding mask to join him.) Reed continues to explain the principle of the technology.]

Reed: Exactly.

Peter: You always were on the bleeding edge, weren’t you, guys?

Ben: Well, Yeah. Kinda our trademark, Webs.

We like ‘ta keep it dat way.

[Panel 2: Reed pulls a hydro Spanner from his toolbox, already glowing with Kirby Krackle.]

Reed: Either way, the technology is proven to break the physical barrier.

The idea is that if we narrow the entire power output into a small beam—

[Panel 3: Reed gestures over to the Chekov’s Gun, still holding an active Hydrospanner.]

Reed: —and aim it at a universal anomaly, then we could theoretically punch a crack into the supposed fourth wall and manipulate reality however we need to.

Peter: Wait, universal anomaly.

As in… we have something that other universes don’t?

[Panel 4: Sue and Johnny put their arms around each other confidently.]

Johnny: Yep. While you were gone, Reed had us contact the Council of Reeds--

\--and we put on the ol’ Storm family charm.

Sue: Connection was a little static-y. But the general gist was that the Archons don’t exist anywhere else.

For whatever reason, they’re unique to this universe.

[Panel 5: Peter points to Johnny, who smirks.]

Peter: So… they’re the anomaly we need to shoot.

Johnny: Yep.

Peter: That’s the hard part, though.

Getting to the Archons.

[Page 18]

[Panel 1: Reed walks over to Peter, putting his hand on Peter’s shoulder.]

Reed: Peter. You seem a little… eager to put this weapon to use.

Peter: You’re right. I am.

[Panel 2: Peter’s lenses narrow as he points at Reed.]

Peter: Aos has my family at metaphysical gunpoint.

I’m not exactly feeling reserved about blasting him out of the universe.

[Panel 3: Reed puts his hand on Peter’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him, but Peter is clearly having none of it.]

Reed: Peter, I know this isn’t the best of circumstances, but--

Peter: Reed, they said they would wipe my family from the face of the universe if I didn’t sabotage this thing for them!

They’re going to be a smear on the pavement if I don’t friggin’ do something!

[Panel 4: Reed gives Peter a hug, which Peter takes; knowing how distant Reed can be, this is the single biggest gesture of faith he can give.]

Reed: I know. It’ll be okay.

Peter: This… this is gonna work, right?

Reed: It will. I promise. Not just for your family’s sake--

\--but the entire universe.

[Panel 5: Peter walks off, having broken off the hug to move away.]

Peter: That’s all I needed to hear, Reed.

[Panel 6: A small panel of Reed warmly smiling. Silent panel.]

[Page 19]

[Panel 1: Ben lumbers up, hauling the Chekhov’s gun on his shoulder.]

Ben: So now I gots the billion dollar question--

\--how do we find the Archons, anywho?

[Panel 2: A shot of Ben’s back, with his head raised in surprise to hearing an off-panel voice.]

???: You don’t. 

Ben: Sonuva--

[Panel 3: All five Archons are floating above the F5, with Aos in the epicenter.]

Aos: We find you.

[Panel 4: Aos looks down towards Spider-Man, smirking.]

Aos: Hello again, Mr. Parker.

How’s the wife and kids?

[Panel 5: Peter narrows his lenses in anger. You can tell they’re pressing his buttons on purpose, and it’s working. Silent panel.]

[Page 20]

[Panel 1: Aos hovers forward. Imagine the sound of the Jetsons car as he floats towards Reed and Co.]

Aos: Reed Richards, correct?

Reed: You can dispense with the pleasantries, Aos.

You already know who we are.

[Panel 2: Aos’ frown digs even deeper; he knows that he’s not getting any progress made anymore, and decides to get down to force.]

Aos: I assume you already know what we want, then? And you’re working on a way to stop us?

Reed: That’s right.

On both counts.

[Panel 3: Reed looks up at a smriking Aos, who can see right through the deception.]

Aos: That’s… inconvenient.

Reed: And why is that?

Aos: Well, for us, it’s an obvious roadblock. You can see why we might be threatened by it.

But for you… you’re lying. And there’s nothing that makes me angrier than being lied to.

[Panel 4: Reed and the F5 look on towards the Archons, who are looking right back on them.]

Reed: I find that hard to believe, to be quite blunt.

I think what makes you angriest is not being in control. For you, it’s a need rather than a want.

[Panel 5: Reed takes the Chekov’s Gun from a perplexed Ben, who has no idea what’s going on.]

Reed: Ben, if you would.

Ben: Uh… ya sure about thi--?

Reed: I’m sure.

Their days of wanting control are over.

[Page 21]

[Splash page. To the shock of the rest of the F5, Reed is handing the Chekhov's Gun straight over to the Archons. Their only hope of stopping them, and he’s just given it to the people who arguably wanted it more than them.]

Reed: Here.

Time to forge your own destiny, Aos.

Peter: Reed! What have you done?!

[To Be Concluded]


	5. Over to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything comes to a close... and the next big step for the universe is revealed.

Fantastic Five #5 (of 5)  
“Over to You”

Writer: Neil Bogenrieder  
Assistant Writer: Nerd Wonder  
Editor: Mohammed Jaafar

Preferred Art Team: Kenneth Rocafort

[Page 1]

[Panel 1: Establishing panel. Reed is still offering the Chekhov’s Gun to Aos, who looks at him quizzically. The other members of the F5 are appropriately panicking.]

Reed: Go ahead then.

Seize the day. Make it your own.

[Panel 2: Peter puts his hand on Reed’s shoulder, the body mass around his grip molding in it.]

Peter: Reed. Are we really doing this?

Reed: It’s… it’s the only way, son.

[Panel 3: Peter’s lenses narrow in suspicion; his distrust of Reed’s plan is mounting, but he’s not going to act on it. Not yet.]

Peter: I’m gonna hold you to that.

[Panel 4: Portrait shot of Reed, who has removed Peter’s hand with his own.]

Reed: I wouldn’t expect anything less.

[Panel 5: Reed holds out the gun to the Archons, who are still looking at him with suspicion.]

Reed: So… aren’t you going to take it, then?

[Panel 6: Two of the Archons look at each other, confused; the others, Aos included, instead focus their confusion on Reed. Silent panel.]

[Page 2]

[Panel 1: Aos’ hand hovers over the gun, the rest of him and Reed out-of-panel. Silent panel.]

[Panel 2: The hand is brushing against the gun, almost terrified of touching and taking it. Another silent panel.]

[Panel 3: Aos’ hand grips the handle of the gun, solidifying his resolve. Another silent panel.]

[Panel 4: Now completely resolute in his ambition, Aos’ other hand clasps the main body of the gun. Another silent panel.]

[Panel 5: Large panel. Aos, triumphant, hoists the massive Chekhov Gun in the air above him; to him and his fellow Archons, (Also grinning behind him) they’ve without a doubt won.]

Aos: Victory… held in my hand.

[Page 3]

[Panel 1: Reed sarcastically claps, while the rest of the F5 are behind him, confused on how to react.]

Reed: Congratulations. A well-earned victory.

Sue: Reed…

Johnny: Well, we’re screwed. Terrific.

[Panel 2: Aos hands over the Chekhov’s Gun to one of the other Archons, looking towards the F5 in suspicion.]

Aos: No… not well-earned. It was cheap.

You simply handed us the key to victory without a second thought.

[Panel 3: Aos places a closed hand on his chin, smiling malevolently. He’s figured out the plan.]

Aos: No… this wasn’t a win.

You’re using the fate of the universe as a bargaining chip. You want something.

[Panel 4: Reed puts his hand to his chin in thought, figuring out how to proceed. Silent panel.]

[Panel 5: Reed points to the Archons, a smile on his face.]

Reed: Take us with you.

[Panel 6: A look of shock from the rest of the F5. They can’t believe what they’re hearing.]

[Panel 7: Another look, this one of the confusion from the Archons; Aos in particular is flabbergasted.]

Aos: What?

[Page 4]

[Panel 1: Reed gestures to the device, noting the purpose he built it for.]

Reed: Punching into the theoretical fourth wall?

Changing reality for the sake of a story?

It’s a scientist’s dream come true.

[Panel 2: Going along with it, Sue backs up Reed as Aos tries to question what Reed is saying.]

Aos: That seems absurd. Scientists work in facts, not in fiction.

Reed: Still, you used to be a scientist yourself. Not to mention, you’re using science to make a story happen.

Aos: Science far beyond the realm of your own possibility.

Sue: Well, we start with the impossible.

[Panel 3: Sue turns to Ben, shrugging at her own words.]

Ben: What the hell did that mean, Suzie?

Sue: I have no idea. It just sounded cool, and it worked on Gladiator.

[Panel 4: Peter’s lenses make a curious expression; even now, he’s still trying to figure the big turnaround to save the day here.]

Peter: I keep forgetting you guys have a lot of in-jokes.

So this is really confusing.

[Panel 5: Aos makes a wicked grin, as his eyes glow yellow with cosmic energy.]

Aos: I concur. However, your contradictions… amuse me.

Very well. You may accompany us.

[Page 5]

[Panel 1: The Archons’ eyes glow, as a wave of cherenkov radiation flows over them.]

Aos: Prepare.

[Panel 2: The group begins teleporting away, leaving only Valeria and Franklin behind. Silent panel.]

[Panel 3: The Fantasticar also glows as the rest of the team fades away, a ring of dust the only indication they were gone. Silent panel.]

[Panel 4: As the Fantasticar vanishes as well, Valeria and Franklin get up to see the empty hangar. Silent panel.]

[Panel 5: Valeria puts her hands on her hips as Franklin put his head in his hand.]

Valeria: They couldn’t even bother asking if we wanted to go?

Franklin: *sigh*

Valeria: Rude.

[Page 6: Arriving on the World Forge, the Archons immediately try to revive the sun, with the F5 watching.]

[Panel 1: The World Forge. The F5 and Archons (Along with, again, the Fantasticar) have teleported back, the energy swirl around them fading.]

Archon: Welcome to the World Forge. The source of all life in the universe.

[Panel 2: Aos holds up the Chekhov’s Gun, watching it glow with quantum energy.]

Aos: Now, behold.

[Panel 3: Large panel. A large beam of energy protrudes from the Chekhov’s Gun, striking the sun with intense force and cosmic energy.]

Aos: The turning of the page.

A new chapter to replace that what came before.

[Panel 4: The F5 (Sans Reed) look on in concern.]

[Page 7]

[Panel 1: Large panel. The beam has tapped into the sun, reigniting a small corner of it.]

Aos: It begins.

[Panel 2: Aos lifts his hands up in victory, shouting in victory as the rest of the Archons look out towards their victory.]

Aos: Enlightenment.

Archons: The Way forward.

[Panel 3: Peter’s lenses widen in panic, along with Johnny, who looks like he has no plays left either.]

Peter: No…

[Panel 4: All of a sudden, the Chekhov’s gun just… stops. No warning, the beam just cuts out and leaving the Archons confused.]

Aos: Eh?

[Panel 5: The Archons look at the device, noticing it glow.]

Aos: This doesn’t look right.

Richards! Explain yourself, then explain this!

[Page 8]

[Panel 1: Reed points over to the glowing Chekhov’s Gun, which the Archons are looking at in curiosity.]

Reed: That, right there?

That’s your hubris come to life. All it took was a bit of misdirection.

[Panel 2: Reed does a classic Reed-smirk. Once again, he’s 4-D Chess’d his opponents by thinking several steps ahead of them.]

Reed: You’re all about stories, Aos.

Have you ever heard of a “Red Herring?”

[Panel 3: Aos turns around, grimacing as he whips around to glare at Reed.]

Aos: You--!

Reed: I offered you the gun, as promised. 

I didn’t say it worked.

[Panel 4: Aos charges at Reed, as the gun bounces off the ground and expels a brilliant glow of white, metaphysical energy.]

Aos: No!

This isn’t--

[Panel 5: The F5 all look at the now off-panel Chekhov’s Gun as its energy consumes them. Silent panel.]

[Panel 6: A plain, blank white panel. Silent panel.]

[Page 9]

[Splash page. The F5 are surrounded by a milky white void, with a mysterious voice talking down to them. All five are in shock, though none know how to react.]

Johnny: Uh.. We’re not dead, are we?

Susan: Not gonna lie, if this is the afterlife I’ll be mildly disappointed.

???: Oh, no no no. You… you aren’t supposed to be here.

Ben: An’ what the hell was that?

???: This… isn’t right. How did you even get here?

Reed: A meta bomb. We… is the beyond the supposed fourth wall?

???: You know it?

Ben: Yeah, we just blew up five guys trying to get through it.

???: Well, you… not to be a #%&$, but you guys don’t belong here.

You still have purpose. Especially that one.

Peter: Well, that’s even more responsibility on my shoulders. Oh, Joy.

???: Don’t be like that. It’s a good thing. It means that you’re important.

Reed: So… will you send us back?

???: Of course; I sort of have to. Like I said, you’re important. Every single one of you is.

Johnny: See, webs? Now you get to share the responsibility.

???: But you need to make me a promise. To never tell anybody what you’ve seen here.

If people learned what lies beyond their reality--

Reed: I understand. We understand.

???: Awesome. Alright, then-- I leave the Archons in your capable hands.

[Page 10]

[Panel 1: In a flash of (vanishing) light, the F5 return to the World Forge, trying to make sense of what just happened.]

Johnny: What.. the %$@#.

Ben: I hear ya, matchstick. That was some metal $%@#.

Sue: Language, boys.

Reed?

[Panel 2: Reed is staring towards an off-panel sight, with Sue trying to catch his attention.]

Reed: …

Sue: Reed, you okay?

Reed: Hmm? Oh, yes, dear.

[Panel 3: The group looks over to the Archons, who are lying on the ground and feebly trying to use what little remains of their power.]

Reed: I was just making sure our little gambit worked.

Aos: How?...

Reed: It’s simple. All I had to do was figure out how your powers worked.

They’re tied to narrative. The more of a role you have in the story, the more powerful you become.

And by becoming the “protagonists” you would have more power than you’d know what to do with.

[Panel 4: Reed gets on his knee to address Aos eye-to-eye.]

Reed: So I did the one thing I could think of. Make you bit characters.

On the same level as Captain Glory; the man you created as a proxy to do your bidding.

[Panel 5: Reed looks over towards the Chekhov’s Gun, with a look of regret.]

Reed: I understand the idea of breaching reality and transcending to a higher power. I do.

When my daughter was first born, she was stillborn. It took years, and whatever higher powers are out there, just to bring her back.

[Panel 6: Reed stands back up, looking down on a powerless group of Archons.]

Reed: But that fascination leads us to do terrible things. That’s why we took your power; to stop you from bringing more harm and devastation on an already fragile universe.

[Panel 7: Peter has taken off his gloves, lenses narrowing as Reed turns to talk to him.]

Peter: So… they’re powerless, now?

Reed: More or less…

Peter: Good.

[Page 11]

[Panel 1: Large panel of Peter sucker-punching Aos, a small amount of blue blood and a tooth coming out as Reed looks on in shock.]

Peter: Hngh!

Aos: Graah!

[Panel 2: Peter rubs his fist with his other hand, as Sue and Johnny hold him back.]

Sue: Peter!

Peter: ...Yeah. I know. We don’t do that.

[Panel 3: As Sue and Johnny let Peter go, Peter looks down on Aos in disgust, lenses narrowed.]

Peter: That’s for putting a gun to my family’s head.

You try it again, a missing tooth will be the least of your problems.

[Panel 4: Sue puts a hand on Peter’s shoulder in understanding, with Johnny walking away.]

Sue: Peter…

Peter: I know. I know. It’s just… I really needed to do that.

Sue: Yeah. I can tell.

[Panel 5: The two begin walking back to the Fantasticar, Ben picking up the quantum engines and the reality drive.]

Peter: So… that’s it?

Johnny: I think so. All that’s left is to slap the engines back in our ride and gun it back home.

[Page 12]

[Panel 1: Large panel of the five going back to the Fantasticar, as Ben is already on top and pushing the engines back into the spaceframe.]

Peter: Hey, so… speaking of heading back home…

[Panel 2: Peter gestures to Ben, who is shoving the engines back into the hole he got the drive out of.]

Peter: Ben, any chance you can take us to the moon before we touch down back on Earth?

Ben: Sure, Webs. You wanna talk to Uatu?

Peter: Nah.

[Panel 3: Peter pulls off his mask, the light glow of the World Forge’s dead star illuminating his boyish face.]

Peter: I have something else I need to get done.

Johnny: You know it could be any rock, right? Just go to--

Peter: Well, first off, that’s your goddaughter I made a promise to.

You telling me to not keep my word?

Johnny: ...No. *sigh* Let’s go to the moon.

[Page 13]

[Panel 1: Establishing panel of the Parker family apartment in Manhattan. Due to their earlier machinations, the changes in their environment have caused Cindy to flip over the table and land her butt, Annie to fall flat on her face from tripping, and MJ and Mayday to survey both of them.]

MJ: That… was weird.

...How did both of you get on the floor?

Cindy: ...No comment.

[Panel 2: MJ picks Annie up, dusting her off as Annie also sweeps herself off.]

MJ: You okay there, pumpkin?

Annie: Yep! I’m okay.

MJ: Great. I’ll get a band-aid and it’ll be like--

[Panel 3: MJ looks up, to see the note from Peter being held in her hands, folded crisply like only a spider can.]

MJ: --it was never there.

[Panel 4: MJ’s hand moves to open it, only to be interrupted by a voice off-panel.]

???: Hi, honey--

[Panel 5: MJ turns around, in relief, to see the person off-panel.]

???: --I’m home!

[Panel 6: Peter finds himself swarmed by Spider-kids, with Cindy, Mayday and Annie all giving him aggressively powerful hugs.]

Peter: Oof!

Mayday: Dad! You’re home!

Cindy: How was space?

Peter: It was… an adventure. I’ll need some time to decide if it was good or bad.

But… it was exhilarating.

[Page 14]

[Panel 1: Peter slings off his backpack, opening it in glee, both his own and that of his family.]

Peter: But the best part? I finally got around to it, and--

I got some gifts on our way home.

Mayday: No way.

Peter: Yep! First off--

[Panel 2: Peter gives Maday a small, slender metallic stick with a button on the side.]

Peter: Mayday, this is for you.

Mayday: Thanks… I think. What is it?

Peter: See that button on the side? Click it.

[Panel 3: Clicking the button, to Mayday’s excitement and MJ’s horror, the stick expands into a Chitauri battle glaive, the edge of the blade being accented by a laser projector. (Like HYDRACap’s shield tip, but running along the edge of the entire blade.)]

Mayday: Omigod.

Peter: We snatched it from a Shadow Pact boarding party. You like?

Mayday: This… is amazing!

[Panel 3: Mayday gives Peter a quick, tight hug, which Peter reciprocates lovingly.]

Mayday: Thank you, daddy!

Peter: Anytime, kiddo.

[Panel 4: MJ leans over to Peter, whispering in his ear.]

MJ: Why did you bring a weapon home for the one trained assassin in our family?

Peter: Well, she’s not brainwashed anymore, but I’ll put it in a glass box. It’s strictly decor.

MJ: Good save.

[Panel 5: Peter hands Cindy a small metal sphere, chrome and polished to the most minute scratch.]

Peter: Cindy, this is one of the two I got for you.

Cindy: Awesome!... I have no idea what it is.

Peter: Remember the Cybertronians? We took a pit stop at their home planet, and I found out what they’re made of.

[Panel 6: Cindy holds up the sphere in awe, with Peter putting his hand on her head.]

Cindy: You’re joking.

Peter: Nope. Five pounds of sentio metallico, and it’s all yours.

Cindy: Whoa.

[Panel 7: Peter also holds out a hologram of Beta Ray Bill, casually making a neutral face as Cindy gives him a huge hug.]

Peter: Oh yeah, I also got you Beta Ray Bill’s autograph.

Cindy: OmigodThorse! I have the greatest boss of all time!

Peter: Yeah, yeah. Tell me that when you show up late for work.

[Page 16]

[Panel 1: Peter snakes his arms around MJ’s, his arms holding a mystery gift.]

Peter: And for you, pretty lady--

MJ: Mmm-hmm. Flattery gets you some good brownie points.

[Panel 2: Peter dangles a metallic necklace with a small crystal attached to it, letting it fall across her neckline.]

Peter: Here.

MJ: What is it?

Peter: Well, I found a shard of the World Forge--

MJ: Ooh, sounds exciting.

Peter: Well, it’s where the cores of worlds were molded out. Either way, it’s a necklace made of a bit of a dyson sphere.

[Panel 3: Peter holds up the crystal, letting it glint in the evening light.]

MJ: I’m guessing the crystal is also special?

Peter: Well, it’s a chunk of a dormant star. So yeah…

[Panel 4: MJ turns around to brush Peter’s cheek and chest with her hands tenderly.]

Peter: I’d say it’s pretty fitting for ya.

MJ: So, you saved the universe?

Peter: Looks like I’ll be doing it more often now, given the space suit.

[Panel 5: MJ looks up in shock, remembering the missing link, while Peter looks down with a humorous expression.]

MJ: Omigod… you didn’t forget--

Peter: You think I’d forget our little girl?

[Panel 6: Annie is pulling out the rock from the moon from Peter’s bag, as Peter and MJ look down on her.]

Peter: Nah. Just fostering her curiosity.

Annie: WOW! Thank you, daddy!

MJ: You took a trip to the moon just to get her a rock?

Peter: Now you sound like Johnny. But… yeah. I made a promise.

MJ: And you kept it…. I do know how to pick ‘em.

[Panel 7: Peter turns to the rest of the family, Cindy pumping up her arms in excitement.]

Peter: Alright, guys, let’s get headed out.

MJ: For?--

Peter: Dinner. We’re eating with the Richards tonight. Figured we’d try something new tonight: alien food.

Cindy: Ha! Yesss!

[Page 17]

[Panel 1: The Richards’ family table. With Peter’s family joining them, the table is more than full; Annie, Valeria and Franklin are off to the side, as Peter, MJ, Cindy and Mayday sit with the rest of the F5.]

Valeria: A universe-altering event?

And I missed it?

Peter: Don’t worry, Val. I’m sure there’ll be plenty more of those in the future. Especially given our line of work.

But, y’know I’m gonna hold seeing it over your head, right?

Val: Daaad.

Annie: Check out my moon rock, Franklin!

Franklin: That’s amazing!

Annie: My daddy’s the best, right?

Franklin: Could he beat up mine in a fight?

Annie: ...Maybe.

[Panel 2: Peter leans back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose; he’s relieved that the crisis is over and he can finally kick back and relax. MJ has put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.]

MJ: Well, you’re home for at least a little bit. And that’s worth something to me.

Peter: Tell me about it. Gimme Juggernaut or Hobgoblin so I can go home after beating them up.

S’much as I love science, we had way too much stuff boggle my mind on this trip.

[Panel 3: Sue leans forwards, curious about where they go from here; Johnny, however, is just as nonchalant as ever, taking a drink from his cup.]

Sue: There is something to be said about this topping the list of insane stuff.

But that raises the question of what we can find that can top it.

[Panel 4: Thing takes a giant bite out of his steak, picking up his beer in the other hand; his mouth has a lit cigar in it. After nearly witnessing the end of the universe, he’s totally down for celebrating.]

Thing: Suzie, after nearly seein’ the universe blow up, I’m with Pete.

Kick back and enjoy it for once.

[Panel 5: Cindy waves her arms excitedly at the knowledge that the multiverse exists, with Ben pointing out that they already know this.]

Cindy: But, still, this is huge! The multiverse theory has been stuck in limbo for… well, ever!

Now we know it actually exists! And that we can alter reality by dipping into metaphysics!

Ben: Eh, multiverse s’been proven fer years, kid. Sorta old news to us.

[Panel 6: Cindy slumps back in her seat, disappointed that she’s been held back in the knowledge of the multiverse.]

Cindy: Hrmpph.

Ben: If it makes ya feel any better, squirt, we kinda got bored of it after a while.

The multiverse starts to lose its charm when it keeps trying to kill you.

[Page 18]

[Panel 1: Johnny also slumps forward, using his hands to support his head; he’s also miserable, but for a different reason than Cindy.]

Johnny: Especially when you realize how complicated it gets.

I wish we’d get some love from saving all of reality, though.

[Panel 2: Sue puts her hand on Johnny’s shoulder. She’s clearly had this talk with him before, and we all know she’ll have to do it again later on.]

Sue: Johnny, you know that’s not why we do this.

Johnny: I know, I know. It’s just that we never get the credit for the big things. Just inventing a new palm pilot.

Sue: Ooooh, poor baby.

[Panel 3: Reed looks up, smiling. He’s content with how things are now, and that they can finally kick back and relax for the first time in a long time, especially given their previously high stakes.]

Reed: Sue, you mentioned how we’ll find something to top today?

I dunno if we ever will, but if we do--

[Panel 4: The ceiling above the F5’s table is finally revealed, with it being a skylight that has an (incomplete) map of the universe on it. All the visible characters in the scene are looking out of it in whimsy and wonder.]

Reed: --it’ll be out there.

And all we have to do is keep exploring until we find it.

[Page 19]

[Note from Neil: This is a completely silent page, aside from the last panel.]

[Panel 1: A shot of the F5 entering the Baxter Building’s hangar, arms wrapped around each other and their equipment.]

[Panel 2: Peter kisses MJ on the cheek, as she holds Annie and Mayday and Cindy stand behind her. Reed and Sue each gives their kids a hug goodbye as well.]

[Panel 3: All five board the craft, waving again to their loved ones.]

[Panel 4: The Fantasticar takes off, with the Parker and Richards families watching from the hangar.]

[Panel 5: The Fantasticar flies off into the sky, ready to tackle the next frontier.]

??? [Capt]: And so they explored. Wherever you a blue light streak across the black ink of the night sky--

\--That’s them. The Fantastic Five.

[Page 20]

[Panel 1: Establishing panel. Large one, of the World Forge. With the Oort Cloud having vanished with the loss of the Archon’s powers, it remains a grey, metallic husk drifting in space.]

Capt: The World Forge

???: 

[Panel 2: Immediate cut to the hands of an unknown figure, as he examines the device that brought the F5 into the Archon conflict in the first place.]

???: Tsk tsk.

Such a shame. All that power--

\--and all you could think of was “how can I be the good guy?”

[Panel 3: A shot of the hand’s owner’s feet, as he walks along the decrepit floors of the World Forge’s corridors; the faint glow of the cracks in the dead sun give some (if little) illumination to the figure and his surroundings.]

???: Now, that’s what we like to call “short-term planning.”

Because at the end of the day, we don’t decide who the hero is. There’s a higher power out there, whether we like it or not; but he didn’t create anything.

He just decides where all the pieces go on the board.

[Panel 4: The device from the Banner Nova drops and hits the figure’s booted foot, rolling onto the floor.]

???: And when you look at how heroes live, my friends, you’ll realize in the end that limbo is better than being in the spotlight.

Because the minute you get put in the spotlight, there’s a good chance you’re gonna get put on ice.

[Panel 5: The device keeps rolling, on and on…]

???: Which leads us to you.

[Page 21]

[Panel 1: ...and eventually lands at the feet of the now weakened and almost powerless Archons; huddled together in the barely-lit corridors overlooking the World Forge’s star, they’re like children, desperate to stick together and survive in their weakened state.]

???: Oh, don’t look at me like that. You brought this on yourselves.

If the universe wasn’t going to interfere with you--

[Panel 2: Aos looks up, his eyes weak from so much loss, he sees the man standing above him as almost a godlike figure.] 

???: --I would have, eventually.

Because… well, I have the one power you lack. Vision.

[Panel 3: The masked figure gets down on one knee (His face still obscured) as Aos looks away in shame.]

???: And you represented a real threat to that vision. So why get my hands dirty--

\--when I can get the “heroes of the story”, as you so eloquently put them--

\--to do it for me? And without them ever knowing I existed?

[Panel 4: Aos glares up, not sure how to take getting made into this new guy’s patsy. Blue blood has dried and cracked on his lips and chin, his eyes sagged in utter defeat.]

Aos: ...If you came here to wrap up the work that Richards and his ilk refused to finish--

\--get it done now.

[Panel 5: The grin of the newcomer is seen; it’s wide, toothy, and definitely not belonging to a sane person, which becomes more obvious as he stands up.]

???: Kill you? No, no, that wouldn’t be prudent.

You still have your powers, however little left, which means you have use to me.

[Page 22]

[Splash Page. We finally get the appearance of our mystery man, as he stands over the powerless Archons; his maniacal smile allows expression and his body a grandiose display despite the helmet covering the top of his elongated head. The Maker.]

Maker: Though… well, I might have to remake you. Top to bottom, of course. Can’t have any loose ends in that vision I mentioned, after all.

It’ll be my universe, after all.

[The End?]

**Author's Note:**

> This is a five "issue" mini-series meant to kick off the next phase of what has affectionately been called the Friendly Neighborhood; hopefully, it'll come out monthly as planned, but I'm prepped to either release earlier or later depends on my schedule in the real world.
> 
> Here's to finding the impossible.


End file.
